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JULIUS D. DREHER, A. M., PH, D. 

PRESIDENT, 1878-1903. 



1S53-1903 



Se:m:i=Ce;ntenniaIv 



CELEBRATION 



AND 



COMJVIENCEIVLENT 



OF^ 



ROANOKK COLLKQE 



<2<0 



Junk T-11. 1903 



SALEM, VIRGINIA 
PUBLISHED BY THE COLLEGE 

1903 



kill 4^1! 






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COMMITTEE) ON PUBrvIC-A.TION. 



W. F. MOREHEAD, 

Chairman 

F. V. N. PAINTER 
C. B. CAN N AD A r 
WILLIAM A. SMITH 





Gift 




Author 




4 W 05 








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CONTENTS 



PAGE 

Preface 9 

Baccalaureate Day 13 

Baccalaureate Sermon 13 

Address Before the Young Men's Christian Association 28 

Class Day 42 

Class Day Exercises 42 

Contest in Oratory 41 

Reunion Day 43 

Mr. Denit's Address 44 

Judge Blair's Address 52 

Dr. Holland's Address 54 

Mr. Caffery's Address 58 

Reunion Poem 72 

Semi-Centennial Day 74 

Mr. McCauley's Address 74 

Semi-Centennial Hymn 138 

Dr. Whaling's Oration 141 

Semi-Centennial Song 151 

Semi-Centennial Ode 152 

Professor Brock's Address v. • • '--..r . . . . . 159 

President Denny's Address 160 

Professor Kent's Address 165 

Professor Armstrong's Address . . . .. . . . 165 

Professor Surface's Address . . . 169 

Professor Mitchell's Address 177 

Professor Hudnall's Address 180 

Commencement Day 184 



Addresses by Graduates 184 

Governor Montague's Address 184 

Conferrino^ Degrees 189 

Award of Prizes and Distinctions 191 

Announcements 192 

President Dreher's Remarks 193 

President Dreher's Reception 195 

Appendix 201 

Resignation of President Dreher 201 

President Morehead 202 

Roanoke's Fifty Years 206 

Semi-Centennial Buildinsj Fund 207 

List of Subscriptions 208 

Alumni Association 212 

General Association 213 

Graduates and Ex-Students Present 213 

Committees 216 



IIvlwUSTRATIONS 



^ PAGE 

Presideut Julius D. Dreher .... frontispiece 

Rev. L. A. MauD, D. D 29 

Rev. C. Armand Miller 30 

Mr. Charles D. Denit 49 

Judge Henry E. Blair 50 

Rev. Robert C. Holland, D. D 59 

Donelson Caffery, Jr., Esq 60 

President David F. Bittle 79 

President Thomas W. Dosh 80 

Professor S. C. Wells 87 

Professor W. B. Yonce 88 

Professor L. A. Fox 95 

Professor F. V. N. Painter 99 

Professor W. A. Smith 103 

Professor W. F. Morehead .104 

Professor H. T. Hildreth Ill 

Professor C. B. Cannaday 112 

Professor J. N. Ambler ..119 

Professor L. McReynolds 120 

Bittle Memorial Library 127 

Interior of Library 128 

William McCauley 134 

Rev. Thornton Whaling, D. D. . . , 137 

Music of Semi-Centennial Hymn 139 

Governor Montague 187 

President Dabney 188 

Class of 1903 . 197 

President John Alfred Morehead 203 

The College Buildings 209 

The Enlarged Buildings 210 



PREFACE. 



In any institution that has within itself the force and machin- 
ery for indefinite perpetuation, fifty years seems at best an insig- 
nificant period; but when it is considered, not in relation to the 
total life of the institution, but in relation to the work already ac- 
complished and to the men whose character and career it has meas- 
urably determined, such a period becomes worthy of special recog- 
nition. It was this feeling on the part of the authorities of Roa- 
noke College that led them to the decision that the fiftieth anni- 
versary of the founding of the College should be celebrated in an 
appropriate manner. But as the charter was granted on March 
14, 1853, and as the early spring was not regarded as a suitable 
time for such a celebration, it was deemed best to celebrate the 
close of the fiftieth college year. Hence the Celebration of the 
Semi-Centennial of the College was fixed for Commencement week, 
June Y-ll, 1903. The usual term of Commencement was extended 
by one day and a special program was arranged with reference to 
its commemorative character. 

Owing to the lack of suitable accomodations for a large num- 
ber of guests, an invitation was not extended to colleges generally 
to send delegates to the Jubilee Celebration. The several univer- 
sities and colleges of Virginia were, however, invited to send rep- 
resentatives to take part in the Celebration, and this invitation was 
accepted by the University of Virginia, Washington and Lee Uni- 
versity, Hampden-Sidney College, Randolph-Macon College, Em- 
ory and Henry College, Richmond College, and the Virginia Poly- 
tecnie Institution. 

Under the efficient direction of the General Committee of Ar- 
rangements, representing the trustees, faculty, graduates and ex- 
students of the College, the programme arranged for the Semi- 
Centennial Celebration and Commencement was carried out with 
great success. The exercises throughout were of a high order: 
the audiences were large and appreciative, and the weather delight- 
fully cool. The excellent music of the voluntary choir, the sing- 
ing of the Semi-Centennial hymn and song, and the fine perform- 



ances of the Salem Band were greatly enjoyed by all. The illu- 
mination of the campus for the promenade concerts was on a more 
brilliant scale than usual. Much interest was added to the cele- 
bration by the unusually large number of graduates, ex-students, 
and visitors in attendance. Enthusiasm seemed to be in the air. 
It was an inspiring sight to see the long processions marching to 
stirring strains of music to the Auditorium, many old students 
and others carrying flags m college colors of blue and yellow, as 
well as many national flags, all bearing the figures " 1853-1903." 
Almost everyone in the procession — trustees, professors, speakers, 
old students, the students of this year — wore a badge in college 
colors, on which were printed " Semi-Centennial, Roanoke Col- 
lege, 1853-1903." A large banner, stretched across College av- 
enue at Main street, bore the inscription " Semi-Centennial Wel- 
come." The front of the Auditorium, in which the exercises were 
held, the front entrance to the College grounds, the front doors of 
the chapel and library, the interior of the library, and the entrance 
to the literary society halls were decorated in college colors and 
national flags and bunting. A number of places of business were 
also decorated, and the town seemed to be taking a holiday. Every- 
thing passed off most successfully to the gratification of all friends 
of the College. As will be seen from the report of the Commence- 
ment the speaking was properly confined largely to Roanoke men; 
but it was also appropriate to have the addresses from Governor 
Montague as the Chief Executive of the Commonwealth of Vir- 
ginia; from President Dabney, of the University of Tennesssee, 
as a representative of higher education in the South; and from the 
delegates from Virginia univerities and colleges as a manifestation 
of general fellowship in the cause of higher education in the old 
Dominion. The presence and addresses of these gentlemen and 
their words of congratulation and good-will added greatly to tbe 
interest and success of Roanoke's Jubilee Celebration. 

This little book is published mainly to put in peraianent form 
the various addresses delivered during the Celebration and Com- 
mencement as well as to preserve some of the pleasing and inspir- 
ing memories of that interesting occasion. It is hoped that it may 
prove an acceptable souvenir of the Celebration of the Semi-Cen- 
tennial of Roanoke College. 



Semi-Centenniai^ 

CELEBRATION 



AND 



COMMENCEMENT 



OF^ 



ROANOKK COLTvKOK 



June T-11, 1903 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 

Celebration and Commencement 

OF 

ROANOKE COLLEGE 



SUNDAY— BACCALAUREATE DAY. 

The Baccalaureate Sermon was delivered on Sunday 
morning, June 7, by Rev. Luther Ambrose Mann, D. D. 
(class of '60), Cumberland, Maryland. 

The music was furnished by a special choir and 
prayer was offered by President James Henry Turner, 
D. D. (class of '6"]), Maryland College, Lutherville, 
Maryland. 

THE BACCALAUREATE SERMON. 

So run that ye may obtain. — I Cor. IX: 24. 

The noblest material manifestation of God on earth 
is a human being. Such are you, to whom I now speak. 
You are creatures, not of chance, nor of blind evolution, 
but children of God, and your wonderful mental and 
moral endowments forbid the thought that one of you 
was created for any other than the highest end. Man's 
destiny in God's thought is not less sublime and holy 
now than when he walked in innocence with his Maker 
among the trees and flowers of his Edenic home. And 
though man has fallen into sin, yet God has graciously 
revealed a new order for his recovery, and so vast is His 
plan of human redemption that it even more than com- 
pensates for what he lost in the ruin and wreck of the 
race, for ''where sin abounded, grace doth now, through 



14 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

Jesus Christ, much more abound." And now, as then, 
God reigns in a vast providential system, and in it every 
man has a place, and he who lives in harmony with 
God's purpose will fulfill his mission and attain a des- 
tiny unspeakably blessed and glorious. If men fail, and 
certainly and sadly thousands do, yet it is no ordination 
of God that they should fail, for He has mercifully reveal- 
ed a plan of success for all; their failure, therefore, is 
their crime. There is something thrilling, and to every 
rational being there should be unfailing inspiration in 
the thought, that human life is not an indifferent thing in 
God's mind, but a plan, which, if followed, issues in the 
most glorious success. The Holy Spirit commands no 
impossibility in the stirring utterance of my text : ''So 
run that ye may obtain." 

Dr. Horace Bushnell expresses the thought very 
beautifully in these words : " Every human soul has a 
complete and perfect plan cherished for it in the heart of 
God, a divine biography marked out, which it enters into 
life to live. This life, rightfully unfolded, will be a com- 
plete and beautiful whole, an experience led on by God 
and unfolded by His secret nurture, as the trees and 
flowers by the secret nurture of nature, a drama cast in 
the mould of a perfect art, with no part wanting, a divine 
study for man himself and for others, a study that shall 
forever unfold in wondrous beauty the love and faithful- 
ness of God, great in its conception, great in the divine 
skill by which it is shaped ; above all, great in the mo- 
mentous and glorious issues it prepares." 

But man perverts his greatness, and by that sover- 
eignty of will which was intended to be his noblest 
dignity, he often chooses another plan, lives in an- 
tagonism against God and law, and reaps all the way and 
at the end the reward of his folly. '' Know ye not that 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 15 

they which run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the 
prize." The prize is before all, but only one here and 
there secures it. To every sober, thoughtful mind there 
is something unutterably sad in the reflection that a be- 
ing who bears a resemblance to God and who possess en- 
dowments that distinguish him in honor above all mater- 
ial creation, and in whose life repose such wondrous 
possibilities, should wholly fail. But however painful, it 
is daily and everywhere manifest that only a few compara- 
tively out of the many attain to real and permanent 
success. Look where you will on life's broad way, you 

will find the bleaching wrecks of untold thousands. And 
when we remember that these lives mieht have risen to 

an honorable immortality, how the sadness of the ruin is 

augmented ; for, 

" Of all sad words of tongue or pen 

The saddest are these, 'It might have been.'" 

When a human life utterly fails it is enough to put 
a drapery of grief about the heavens and hush the glad 
song of the morning stars, for it defeats God's plan and 
purpose in creation. As I look upon the great army of 
young men with the grim shadow of such a possibility 
falling upon them, I am deeply stirred to my utmost 
powers to win and help them to a better destiny. Could 
I be the means of saving one of you, young men, from 
failure in life, that would be an achievement that would 
make eternity vocal with joy ; but if, after all effort, one 
of you, should utterly fail, whose tongue can describe the 
unspeakable calamity ? 

First. Ponder well and deeply the nature and re- 
sponsibilities of life. The philosopher would define life 
as a force governed by laws, while many others regard it 
as an opportunity for self-indulgence. Each view is 



10 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

superficial and far below the proper estimate of human 
life. Taking man's origin, his endowments and possi- 
bilities, and God's revealed will into the account, we 
shall be able to get at the only solution of the question 
as to what constitutes success or failure in the life-race. 
An invention in mechanics my be said to be very suc- 
cessful when it fairly accomplishes the end for which it 
was made. ' So God being man's creator and man His 
own rational, responsible creature, we should conclude 
th-^t his life was a success when it accomplished the 
high end for which it was given. To leave God and His 
revealed will out of the question in putting an estimate on 
human life is, to my mind, to doom that life to failure. 
To call that success in a rational and responsible being 
which involves only externalities that are temporary and 
perishable, is absurd. 

It is unreasonable to talk of success in life without 
character and such elements of power as survive for 
gfood the mere material form of human existence. If I 
am doing nothing, if I can achieve nothing, that will issue in 
the highest good for others after I am dead, for what then 
am I living? Did God make me and give me my noble 
endowments of body, mind, and spirit only that I might 
satisfy my earthly appetite and desires, only that I might 
grasp some earthly sceptre and gather about me the 
treasures that waste at my touch and that mingle at last 
with my ashes ? Is this all ? Then certainly the outlay 
of energy in my creation is out of all proportion to the 
gain, and every human being is a reflection upon divine 
wisdom. There is but one standpoint that furnishes 
such a standard and is consistent with such a view 
of human life, and that is furnished by the atheist. 
Blot out God, plunge into the black night of atheism, 
and then the lowest gratification will be the greatest sue- 



^EMI- CENTENNIAL 1 7 

cess in life. Are we ready for this fearful leap into the 
abyss of nothingness ? I think not. 

Remember, life is a great plan and the violation or 
observance of great laws will determine its destiny. 
Every man who fails in the life race is a law-breaker ; he 
violates the noble conditions of his nature and the high 
purpose of his creation. A truly successful life is one 
which attains, in the highest degree, the ends of its exist- 
ence, as its Author has revealed that end both in 
its own capacity and in His written will. Here also 
there will be variety in the degrees of success. There 
are diversities of gifts. Men differ in their endowments 
and God works through men in harmony with their 
powers. But in order to be successful every life must 
in some degree declare God's glory and every life that 
in no degree achieves the highest end of its being, is a 
failure, — 

"Creation's blot, creatiou's blank." 

Confessedly every one ought to recognize life as a 
rational, practical, moral result, as an existence related 
to time, to God, and to eternity. Certainly no man un- 
derstands life in its solemn import and no man can use 
it as he should who does not recognize these truths in 
his estimate of human life. And just here is the fatal error 
and certain peril of many. Youth, especially in its joyous- 
ness, its love of fancy and extravagant imagination, sel- 
dom considers life in its highest relations and hence many 
live only to squander life, and come to its close without 
hope, thus affording the most painful illustration of an 
inadequate conception of the real nature and momentous 
responsibilities of life. The outcome of every man's life- 
course will correspond with the estimate he puts upon it, 
for as his estimate is, so will his effort be. 

Second. Think, therefore, deeply of that existence 



t8 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

with which you are endowed. Your life, my hearers^ 
came from God. Of all else io a material world it is 
most like Him ; it has marvelous powers of thought, is 
capable of astounding progress, and yet just as a little 
child would break a costly vase, so you may dash it to the 
ground and the fragments will not be worth gathering. 
You cannot uproot the mountains, nor pluck a single 
star from the heavens, but in your life-race you can 
wound God's heart, you may defeat or fulfill the lofty 
purpose for which you were made; you can touch and in- 
fluence for greatest good or greatest evil many running 
the same race with you, and you each may speak a gos- 
pel that will bless when you are dead, or set in motion a 
tempest that will leave only a train of desolation behind. 
How deeply solemn is life ! Beside it, death itself is a 
trifle ! And if yours is only a superficial view of life, if 
you rush through it thoughtlessly and aimlessly, if to you 
it is only a convenience, a game of chance and a giddy 
frolic, then it must for you end in disastrous failure, and 
when the curtain drops, you will curse the day in which 
you were born. 

Third. Think of the grandeur of human life. Apart 
from God's own being, I knov/ of nothing that involves 
so much of the really sublime, that towers so far above 
all utterance of speech, as a well-rounded and truly suc- 
cessful life. Every noble aspiration centers in and 
appeals to this. But what crowds surge on without any 
thought of what life may be, only to add to the great mass 
of. wrecks — the accumulation of ages, the waste of 
human hopes, and the sorrow of the race. Every life 
carries with it the possibilities of a glorious success or of 
a hopeless failure. Nowhere in all the material realm 
into which invention and skill have gone and wrought 
marvelous forms of beauty embodying the very majesty 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 1 9 

of the intellect itself, is there such capacity for excellence 
and real glory as may be found in a single human life. 

Oh, what a compass of the sublime ! Oh, what a 
reach of the immortal ! Oh, what a sweep of the celes- 
tial there may be in reach of you, young man ; and there 
will be, if in God's way, you make your lives a real suc- 
cess. Think how these lives stretch on and on when all 
material earthly things have disappeared and how they 
penetrate the unseen and the eternal. Remember, 
young men, you have already commenced your eternity. 
That eternity which you think is only in the misty, dis- 
tant future is but the continuation of the present time, 
and if the life now be pure and holy, the passing of time 
is only moving into larger and freer and higher con- 
ditions and possibilities of which you now have but the 
faintest conception. Keeping this in view, dare any of 
you think lightly of your life-race? Dare any of you 
loiter in the course and fail to secure the prize ? Remem- 
ber also that your life can never be repeated. Many 
live as if they had an abundance of lives and could 
afford to waste one or more, leaving yet a last one with 
which to achieve victory and a happy destiny. This can- 
not be; the failure of the one is the failure of all. You 
can retrieve a fortune ; you can even do something to 
wipe out the stain of dishonor; you can in a measure re- 
deem lost time; but when the hour-glass of your life is 
emptied, there is no law by which it can be refilled. 

" Not many lives, bat only one have we ; 

One, only one ! 
How sacred should that one life ever be, 

That narrow span ! 
Day after day filled up with blessed toil, 
Hour after hour still bringing in new spoil." 

Oh ! what unspeakable value attaches to your 



20 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

life-course, if all its privileges and opportunities are cor- 
rectly apprehended and improved. So run in the Chris- 
tian race that you may attain the prize of glory ; not the 
olive wreath as in the Olympic games, but the crown 
incorruptible, unfading, and imperishable. That is the 
highest aspiration of the human soul, and that is attained 
only through loyalty to Christ. That prize is given only 
to Christian manhood and womanhood. If you would 
be a corner-stone in the community, if you would be a 
true leader in society, if you would be a crowned head 
in heaven, be a Christian, an avowed Christian, an active 
Christian, a loyal Christian, and your brief life will be 
richer far in every element of noblest success than 

"Twenty seas, though all iheir shores were pearl, 
Their waters crystal and their rocks pure gold." 

Assuming that you now have a right conception of 
the nature and purpose of life, let us notice some ele- 
ments that will contribute to make it successful. To 
run successfully your life-race there must be in the first 
place a definite aim. No one can live to much purpose 
who lives at random. No life in God's thought is con- 
fusion. Its high origin, its splendid resources, and its 
future destiny, all indicate that it was intended to fulfill 
a definite purpose and to reach a consummation of its 
own noble endeavors. A life without an aim, a fixed 
and noble purpose, is always at an immense disadvan- 
tage. It ventures upon the life-race with as much peril 
as a vessel put to sea without compass or destination. 
It is not only weakened by the division and disorderly 
arrangement of its own forces, but it is also hedged 
about by circumstances and liable to accidents which 
must baffle it continually. In a world like ours, no man 
can afford to live at random, and yet this is the wild and 
reckless way in which many young men set out on the 



8EMI- CENTENNIAL 2 1 

sea of life, knowing not and caring little, whither the 
merciless winds will drive them. The sun has his course 
and so does everv strono-, true man, who sets out to run 
his race. Such only obtain the prize. But thousands 
only float like driftwood upon the stream. They are 
helpless victims in a current over which they have no 
control. They recognize no law and are governed by no 
fixed plan. They forget that aimlessness in life is law- 
lessness, and lawlessness is failure. The great success- 
ful men of the past have been men of earnest concentra- 
tion of endeavor. St. Paul said, "This one thing I do." 
He did not divide his great purpose between Christ and 
the W'Orld, between spiritual and carnal good, betw^een 
glory here and the crown of righteousness hereafter. 
He did not try to harmonize an easy life with high and 
holy excellence of character and usefulness. It was to 
his singleness of purpose very largely that he owed his 
wonderful success, the lofty summit of his character, and 
the sublime service by which his life w-as glorified. Your 
life, young men, will never gather great force unless it is 
held in unity and moves to one great purpose. Have 
an aim, therefore, let God and human good be supreme 
in it, and, though it consumes the outward man, it will 
yet lift the inner man into the conditions of immortal 
power and beauty, and the finished product you bequeath 
to mankind will be your most enduring monument. 

A second element in vour life-race is earnestness 
and perseverance. Carlyle says: ''The race of life 
has become intense. The runners are treading- on each 
others heels. Woe to him who stops to tie his shoe- 
strings." A young man endowed wdth gifts and the 
sublime possibilities of existence, who is not in earnest, 
who has no push and perseverance, is only a breathing 
thing, but not a living, effective force. Without the fire 



22 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

of energy yon will lack the spring and motive power of 
action, the quickening spirit of life, and the hope of 
laudable achievement. The birds are most attractive 
when flittering about, now here and now there, filling the 
air with melody. The flowers are most charming when 
set with diamonds of dew and crowned with a coronet of 
spangled glory; the ocean gets majesty from the ceaseless 
roar and acclaim of its sweeping waves, and the thunder- 
ing cataract proclaims it character and mission by the 
height and dash of its fall. Take away the eternal 
activity of nature and you strike the earnest, glad smile 
from His works, and their glory is gone. How much 
more true of you, young gentlemen. You will be true 
to yourselves, accomplish most, be most as God made 
you, when with glowing earnestness and unfailing per- 
severance you set about to fulfill your high mission. 
Youth is nothing without its fervor any more than the 
morning without its glow or the spring time without its 
sunshine and its infinite stirrings of fresh, exuberant life. 

Earnestness and perseverance have written some 
of the brightest pages in the history of human life. The 
difificulties of life — and these are many — vanish before 
earnest men; they succeed by conquest and their achieve- 
ments are victories. No opposition can baffle or repulse 
the earnest and persistent man. Diogenes was desirous 
of becoming a disciple of Antlsthenes, but oflering him- 
self to the cynic, he was refused. Diogenes still persist- 
ing, the surly cynic raised his knotty staff and threatened 
to strike him if he did not leave. " Strike,'' said Diogenes, 
"you will not find a stick hard enough to conquer my 
perseverance." 

Earnestness and perseverance will compensate for 
the absence of many other elements that may be used 



to advantage, and these qualities have saved many 
a humble life from hopeless despondency and made it 
a brilliant success. Would you succeed, young gentle- 
men ? Then be quite sure you are right in all life's en- 
terprises and throw all t-ke energy of your soul into 
everything that is worthy, and yon will wrench success 
out of diffic;alty. 

A third element ttet will conduce to success in your 
Eife-course is a commendable degree of intelligence. I 
■do not mean by intelligence that yoia should be a learned, 
accurate scholar, deeply versed in the profound things 
of philosophy and science, in order to be true and suc- 
cessful men in life. Learning, properly consecrated, is 
power, but a man who is nothing but intelle-ct may be a 
monster. The noblest elements of character may and 
often do exist, where there is no claim to accurate 
scholarship, or great intellectual grasp. Herbert says : 
'' A handful of good life is Worth a bushel of learning." 
A learned man was laudinp- mental o-ifts and attainments 
as so noble and to be coveted above all things, in the 
presence of Sir Walter Scott, who replied as follows : 
^' God help us ! What a poor world this would be if 
that v/ere true. I have read books enough and con- 
versed with enough of eminent and splendidly cultured 
minds too in my time, but I assure you that I have 
heard higher sentiments from the lips of poor uneducated 
men and women, when exerting the spirit of severe yet 
gentle heroism under difficulties and afflictions, or speak- 
ing their simple thoughts as to circumstances, in the 
company of friends and neighbors, than I ever yet met with 
out of the Bible. We shall never learn to feel and 
respect our real calling and destiny, unless we have 
taught ourselves to consider everything as moonshine 
compared with the education of the heart." What is 



24 liO AWOKE COLLEGE' 

needed is not to despise intellectual cuttiire, but to grve* 
it its true place and promiinence. 

There is ntiich general information which every 
young man should acquire, and which will greatly pro- 
mote his inffuence in every department of life. Certainly 
ignorance is not a virtue, neither is it an innocent in- 
firmity, and no man is true tO' himself or to his mission^ 
who tolerates it. It is also a great mistake to suppose, 
that only certain classes oi men are better for being in- 
telligent. The humblest labor will be dignified, better 
done, and productive of far better results where intelli- 
gence gurdes the hands employed. No matter what you' 
d^o , young men, whether you grasp the handles of the- 
plow, or grip the mattock, or drive a dray, or occupy the 
place of a servant, or stand behind a counter, or plead 
at the bar, or preach from' a pulpit, or whatever you do^ 
5^ou will vt^^di good solid education. It will help you in 
every way; it will reheve the meanest, humblest work 
a:nd occupation of life from its- drudgery. Preference is 
eVer5^where given to iraelligence. Get knowledge, there- 
fore, useful knowledge ; get it evei'y where and from all 
who can teach you something, and make each day bring 
you some golden sheaf gathered and bound by your own 
application arid effort. And give all your knoweldge a 
moral turn and spiritu^al tone. This will greatly enhance 
its value and it will beautify it. Genius, education,, 
without a conscience, without any recognition of the law of 
God and the interests of humanity, is like a lamp in a 
grave-yard, a jewel in the hands of an assassin, or a crown 
on the brov/ of the dead. 

A fourth element of true success in your life-race is 
personal piety. It is God's gracious ordination that we 
should be allied to Him — that we should bring every 
force of our being into harmony with His perfections and 



vwill- — that we should work in His spirit and to the praise 
--of His glory. When a human being has come into right 
relations with God, when he has come to know and love 
Him, then he has brought all the forces and faculties of 
!his being to a right aim and exercise. When piety be- 
comes a governing principle in a man, there comes with 
it protection from evil and a stimulus to right action that 
glorifies life and makes it fruitful of the most blessed 
achievements. 

When God comes into your lives, young gentlemen. 
He will do for you what the sculptor does for the marble, 
The sculptor searches the marble and finds an agel in it, 
and this he brings out, this he frees from the clinging 
and outlying mass which for ages has been buried out 
of sight, the sweet face and graceful form. He brings 
out the beauty which has been slumbering there ; there's 
a resurrection and a life ; so God comes to men and at 
once begins His search in them for his own divine image, 
and this H-e finds and by th^ hammer of his discipline 
He brinos out its resplendent beauty and its marvelous 
•efficiency and power. 

Do you remember the story of the portrait of Dante, 
painted on the walls of an old palace in Florence ? " For 
many years it was thought that the picture had utterly 
perished. But presently there came an artist who was 
determined to find it again. He went into the palace 
where tradition said it had been painted. The room was 
used as a storehouse for lumber and straw ; the walls 
were entirely covered over with white- wash. He had the 
rubbish carried away'; patiently and carefully he removed 
the white-wash from the walls. Lines and colors, long 
hidden, now began to appear, and at last the grave, lofty 
face of the great poet looked out again upon the world 
of light." 



2F MOAJSrOKE COLLEGE 

Even' so God by His truth and His spirit comes 
into our nature, searcBing for His own image there ; this 
He finds, this He restores, and this He brings to the 
light. What is this image of God' in man ? Knowledge,- 
righteousness, truth, justice, goodness, holiness, love.. 
These are the communicable attributes of God and they 
make men and- women god-like in character and in life,. 

Remember, .young men, that God's heart h> open to- 
you. Come, therefore, under the beatitudes of His love, 
Christ reaches out to you in all your varied difficult life- 
race a fMerced hand that He may lead you an and up to 
bliss and immortality. Trust and love Him now and 
sooner will the heavens fall than your life fail to be 
crowned with a diadem of glory. 

''Trust Him all your journ'ey thraugh^ 
Tinist Him liviD»g, dying t(>o> 
Trust Him' all yoiir feet shall bey 
Planted on the crystal sea." 

Young Gentlemen of the Graduating Class : Your 
College curriculum, with the advantages it has furnished 
you, ba^ not, you are well aware, brought you to the 
goal. It places you rather at the beginning of the race, 
which is to determine how much is to be made of you ; 
whether you shall attain to well-earned victory, or suffer 
ignominious defeat. Every one knows that of many 
who have enjoyed the advantages of collegiate training, 
some become more prosperous, more successful, and 
more influential than others. Some lagf behind in the 
race of life, while others utterly fail. You doubtless 
hope to run the race of life successfully and be crowned 
with the benediction of the pure and the good. Though 
you have passed on to this stage through years of study, 
remember that your work has been mainly preparatory ; 
you have only been laying the foundations of knowledge, 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 27 

character, and usefulness. The race has not yet been 
run ; no part of your knowledge has been filled out; no 
part of your character is all that it may and should be- 
come in virtue, moral strength, and elevation. Your 
mental and moral possibilities are just blooming in order 
to come into first-fruits. Your life-work nearly all lies 
before you. Lay aside, therefore, every weight and 
hindrance and so run that you may be crowned with 
victory. Remember that, 

*' Not enjoyment and not sorrow 
Is our destined end or way ; 
But to act that each tomorrow 
Finds us farther than today." 

My brothers, you may be magnificent men by 
nature, well-endowed, large-hearted, magnanimous, 
manly men, and the student at your side, whom you 
honestly despise, may be the meanest specimen of human- 
ity who walks God's earth, a veritable unconverted 
Jacob ; still if he lets God into his life and yields himself 
up to the moulding power of divine grace, while you do 
not, he will come out ahead and will outrank you for- 
ever in every good and grand thing. A man of God is 
among the children of men, what Mount Blanc is among 
the Alpine peaks. He lives nearest God and reflects 
most of the glory of God. Mount Blanc lives nearest 
the sun and reflects most of the glory of the sun. Before 
sunrise its summit is all ablaze with splendor and hence 
after sunset it still sees the sun and flashes to the dwell- 
ers in the valley in many colored fires the glories that 
bathe its imperial head. 

My brothers, if you would be men, give yourselves 
early to God. Begin right, continue right. Be sure if 
you look after your character in the beginning, give 
your life to God, and shape it according to His truth and 
the example of His Son, he will see to it that the end 
and climax shall be sublime and orrand. 



68 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

ADDRESS BEFORE THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN 

ASSOCIATION. 

The Annual Address before the Young Men's Chris- 
tian Association of Roanoke College was delivered on 
Sunday evening, June 7, by Rev. Charles Armand Miller, 
A. M/(class of '87), New York City. 

Music was furnished by a special quartette and 
prayer was offered by Rev. Furman H. Martin, D. D., 
Salem, Va. 

THE sermon; 

'* Quit you like men.'''' — 1 Cor. 16 .'17. 

These words are the translation of a sino^le word in 
the Greek. With all that vigor which comes from the 
condensation of a full and mighty thought into the brief- 
est form, the apostle says to them whom he addresses, 
''Andrizestlu' '. "Show yourselves men." Perhaps our 
nearest equivalent, for brevity and force, would phrase 
itself in two words, "Be men." For though we have a 
verb which expresses the opposite of this Greek verb, 
and we can say, "It unmans me," we have not the posi- 
tive form with which to express the stirring exhortation 
of the text, " Man yourselves." 

The root of this verb is formed of the noun which 
expresses the nobler part of manhood. As in Latin, 
"27^y" and ''homo' have a marked distinction of meaning, 
so in Greek there is the corresponding difference be- 
tween ''aner'' and '' anthropos!' The latter may mean 
nothing more than the " featherless biped" of the old 
philosopher. The former is the word that is used when 
the connotation of all that is truly manly is to be 
conveyed. Man, as distinguished by courage, intelli- 
gence, strength, and other nobler attributes, is "z//r" to 




LUTHER A. MANN, D. D. 

(OLASS OF '60.} 




REV. C. ARMAND MILLER, A. M. 

(class of '87.) 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 3 1 

the Roman, ''aner'' to the Greek. And it is not the 
mere male creature in the human form, but the possessor 
of manhood's power and excellence, who is referred to 
in the adjuration of St. Paul. '' Be men," he says, and 
he means to exhort to true manhood. 

It speaks well for the average quality of men as we 
know them that their short-comings have never yet been 
so overwhelming as to destroy the element of approba- 
tion which inheres for us in the word ''man." ''Manly" 
always carries with it a good meaning, never a bad one. 
To us, as the Greek, the phrase, " Be men " does not 
really need further definition to assure us that the in- 
junction is to the highest and best. The study of the 
history of words enables us to understand that there is 
something of significance and of encouragement in the 
fact that the word "manliness" has not acquired in the 
course of the generations any' discreditable suggestion in 
its meaning. Not only to the boy and to the youth, 
filled perhaps, with unworthy conceptions of its meaning 
and privileges, but to the race, written on the records of 
language, it is still a fine thing, a thing not unfit to be 
set up as an ideal, to be a man. 

Yet, after all, there are widely differing notions as 
to what constitutes true manhood. Some see their finest 
man in the scholar, others in the saint, still others in the 
millionaire, and some in the prize-fighter. It should not 
be without profit for us, my young brothers, to ask and 
to answer the question, what did St. Paul mean, when 
he said, '' AndrizestheV What was his conception of 
manhood ? 

It is evident, as we seek the answer to our ques- 
tion, that St. Paul considers the manhood to which he 
exhorts us to be of a type that recognizes God and is 
found in the right relation to Him. Paul's man is a "new 



32 nOAKOKE COLLEGE 

man." This manhood begins, in his thought, when *'all 
things are become new." (II Cor. V, 17). Upon the 
*' natural man," he pours out vials of condemnation. The 
'' old man " is to be rejected, to be crucified, to be " done 
away." The ''new man" is to be put on, to live, "daily 
to come forth and rise." He urges that we " attain unto 
a full grown man, unto the measure of the the stature of 
the fulness of Christ." (Eph. IV, 13). His full grown 
man is none other than he who has been, in some meas- 
ure at least, " conformed to the image of God's Son " 
(Rom. VIII, 29), who is the ideal Man. It is essential to 
St. Paul's conception that the true man is one in whom 
Christ lives and rules, (Gal. II, 20; II Cor. V, 14). 
To ignore one's Maker, to be indifferent to the duties 
owed to Him, to be apart from the experience, by faith, 
of sonship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, — 
this, to the Apostle, was to fall below the quality and 
character of a man. 

Of course, it must be admitted that in this opinion 
St. Paul does not at all accord with the present fashion 
in so-called religious teaching. The ideal man of our 
day is a good fellow, who not only is innocuous, but 
even does something charitable for his neighbors, less 
fortunate than he, and who stands well in his community. 
The "natural man" is all right, according to modern 
leaders of thought, and needs only good surroundings, 
education, and guidance. Instead of a new birth, he 
should have new circumstances. The mystery of regen- 
eration is supplanted by the magic of environment. Take 
the old clay and mould it into the outward forms of 
decency, polish it into some show of culture, and you 
have a product eminently satisfactory to the humanitarian 
reformer. Let the man's faith be that of a Jew, the 
atheistic materialist, or the idealistic pantheist, that 



'B:ElSII-CENT:ENNIAy. 33 

Tnakes no difference. Modern liberality is too great and 
has grown too much to consider that question one of 
the least importance. The Nicodemuses, coming, if they 
come at all, to Christ and His Word to learn what final 
touch may be necessary to complete the sirm of their 
perfection, must needs be greatly offended, as was the 
Nicodemus of old, to be told that what they need is 
nothing less than to be made over again ; that the desid- 
-eratum i-s no smaller thi^ig tlian a new life ; that in the 
divine counsels they have no manhood worthy of the 
name, unless they become new men. Undoubtedly St, 
Paul is old-fashioned, but truth is never new. Undoubt- 
edly, St, Paul and the men who identify ethics and re- 
ligion are in flat contradiction. One cannot follow them 
both ; one must choose between them. I speak to you 
as to those who have chosen, who, being Christians, will 
accept no theory labeled by that sacred name and yet 
denying the Christianity of Christ and of His Apostles ; 
to you who are more ready to trust the message of a 
-divine inspiration than the noisy declaration of a human 
philosophy, falsely so-called. St. Paul himself foresaw 
the conflict, felt the beginnings, and left the warning. 
To him, the ideal man, was the man of Nazareth and 
Calvary, and the true man was he alone that had put on 
Christ. 

But in this general conception of manhood, as in- 
volving spiritual life as its foundation, there are to be 
found many particular and distinct points of interest and 
value. We might learn what St. Paul thought of man- 
hood, from his own life. No man ever came nearer to 
embodying his ideal. No man better practiced what he 
preached. Not that he thought so. He stands forever 
rebuking those who are lost in amazement at their own 
sanctity, with his confession, toward the close of his 



3¥ MOA]SroK£:' collbgmt 

life : '' Not that I have already obtained, or am already 
made perfect, but I press on. Brethren, I count not my-- 
self yet to have apprehended." (Phil. III^. 12-13.). ^^^ 
we find in his life the characteristic exemplification of his^ 
words, and in studying both life and words, we cannot 
be mistaken as to his meaning when he bids us, " Be 
men ! 

St. Paul's- man was 

I. A man of faith. He had convictions^ His life 
was what it was, because of the convictions of his heart.. 
What a man believes he will support with body, goods 
and life. Thoughtless, superficial men do not think so, 
but it is a truisna^ to him who looks beneath the surface of 
things. To prove the influence of faith on life you have 
no need to do more than compare Saul of Tarsus and 
Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ. It is unfashionable to- 
day to have convictions. Tolerance, with us, is trans- 
lated into the indifferent recognition of all faiths and of 
no faith as equally true or equally false. The modern 
habit of mind is to feel too little interest in the question 
to move one to investigate even whether the equality is 
that of truth or of falsehood. Now and then a rinpfintx 
voice in the negative is heard, as when recently the out- 
spoken and independent District Attorney of New York 
City said, with an exaggeration of form meant to compel 
attention to the thought, that he would rather see men 
convinced of that which they profess to the extent of 
persecuting those that differed from them, than without 
convictions at all. St. Paul never persecuted, but no one 
could doubt the fervor or the depth of his beliefs. 

Fundamental among them was his all-pervading 
conviction of the divinity of Jesus Christ. Christ was 
central in all his thought and in his life. The person of 
the Lord Jesus Christ was to him the abiding reality. 



3t was no dream or hope. If one means by faith some- 
thing giving less definite assurance than knowledge, a 
lower stage of certainty, then it would be unjust to 
speak of St. Paul's faith, for he said^ " I know Him 
whom I have believed, atid am persuaded that He is able 
to keep that which I have committed unto Him." But 
faith is certainty. Faith is the channel of knowledge 
^of the divine and spiritual. This personal relation to 
Jesus Christ is characteristic of St, Paul. To stand in 
such relation to the Lord is an essential requirement in 
his conception of manhood. He was such a man, and 
when he said, '' Be men " this was an indispensable 
element in his ideal. 

Another of his great convictions, vital to his own 
manhood, was his faith in the message of God. He could 
not escape the charge of intolerance today. In the depth 
his conviction that there was but one way of attaining 
the divine standard of true manhood, he denounced 
every other plan* Though we or an angel from heaven 
should preach unto you any gospel other than that which 
we preached unto you, let him be ''anathema," was 
what he wrote to the Galatians. The theologians of our 
time, who are wiser than Paul, and who do not hesitate 
to tell us that Paul was mistaken, do not, nevertheless, 
elaim angelic origin or authority. What would he say to 
them? Among men given to the study of "Compara- 
tive Religions," a science in which they look for the 
origin and development of the Christian religion from 
the same roots and on the same principles as the ethnic 
religions, such convictions as those of St. Paul lead to 
the suspicion to which Festus gave expression, when he 
said, " Paul, thou art mad, thy much learning doth turn 
thee to madness." And yet Paul had done nothing else 
than to set before the Roman the substance of the gospel, 



the atoning merit of the cru-cified and risen Savior. But 
to human wisdom, the vrisdom of God has ever beem 
foolishness. If you would look at a man; look at Paul,. 
t>o whom' scorn-, beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonments,, 
were as nothing, compared witb the obligation of the 
truth, and who was more than willing to suffer all things^ 
even death- itself, as the cost of the deepest convictions^ 
of his heart. 

It was yt)ur speaker^ s privilege to hear at a famous^ 
theological seminary, where the old faitb has been almost 
utterly abandoned, and where Paul's authority coimts for 
fibt so much as the authority of latest critic, the celebra- 
ted Dr. John WatsorK, more widely knowr^ as ''Ian Mac- 
I>aren." Though I>r. Watson is more celebrated for his 
charming literary gifts than for his theological learnings 
lie is classed with the new theologians. It was the more 
mterestinpf, therefore, to' hear him- ask in his address to^ 
these students, ''Why it is that the preaching of today 
lacks the power of the preaching of Paul ? " And it was 
i^oteworthy to hear his answer. It was this: "The 
secret of Paul's mighty sway over men is that he believed 
with intense conviction that he w^as speaking the mes- 
sage of God. He had the note of authority, of the im- 
partation of a uniquely important and saving w^ord from 
God." This, the distinguished speaker thought, is the 
weakness of modern preaching that has largely lost 
the sense of the divine might of the scriptures. In other 
words, the man who moves men, the man who is a lead- 
er, the man who is truly manly, is the man of faith. 

There is still another elemental conviction which 
characterized Paul's manhood, and should characterize 
all true Christian manhood. It was his conviction of the 
final victory that surely awaits the cause of our Captain. 
He lived in hope of seeing the glorious return of the 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 37 

Lord, conquering, rewarding, completing. He was an 
optimist. Behind him, he was sure, were all the forces 
of the Omnipotent. If the battlle went against him, he 
knew that it was but for the time. Mighty is the impulse 
and the inspiration of the faith that we are on the right 
side, and that the right will win the victory. If it v/as 
God's will that he should wait, Paul was ready to wait. 
If it was God's will that he should enter into the city above 
through the pathway of pain and humiliation and martyr- 
dom, he knew that he was not greater than his Lord. 
But through all, and over all, there shone before the eye 
of his faith the vision of the glowing sky, and of the 
heavenly escort, and of the supernal glory of the scene 
when Jesus should come in his power! He is no well- 
equipped man, in whatever walk of life, who has not this 
conviction of the present grace and strength and of the 
future triumph of his Lord! (II Tim. IV, 6-8.) 

Paul's man, again, was, 

2. A man of earnestness. This of course, grows 
out of the former thought. There is no true faith, where 
it does not beget a life of earnest endeavor to realize it- 
self But we would point out specific instances of the 
sort of earnestness that should characterize a man. 

Paul had ambitions. He thought it manly to be 
ambitious. He was ambitious to be well-pleasing to God. 
(II Cor. V, 9). He was ambitious to preach the Gospel 
where Christ had not been named. (Rom. XV, 20). 
And he bids us to be ambitious to be quiet, and to attend 
to our business, and to work with our hands. (I Thes. 
IV, 2). 

Noble ambitious, everyone of them. Worthy of a 
man! Paul could not tolerate trifling, He had no use 
for an idler. What we do, he would have us do with our 
might. Laziness gets no more encouragement from his 



38 ROAlSiOKE COLLEGE 

example than from his words. To be a man is to be ac- 
tive, energetic, earnest, ambitious, striving. So he was. 
Even his prayer was striving. He "agonized," so he tells 
us, in prayer. Whether he was making tents, or living 
the Christian life, he put his whole strength into it. That 
is manliness. 

He v/as not without this thought of striving, of con- 
flict even, in the use of this word. There is the constant 
battle with the base. To play a man's part, is to strive 
for the highest, and to be earnest constantly to subdue 
the lower. He had a sort of sacred discontent with any- 
thing less than the finest achievement. He would not 
"let well enough alone." He writes to his people com- 
mending them for many excellences in Christian attain- 
ment, but he always concludes by urging that they abound 
more and more (Phil. I, 9-1 1). While there is yet some- 
thing to conquer in the man's lower self, he dare not 
cease to fight, he dare not lay aside one piece of the 
Christian armor, (Eph. VI). Fight the good fight of faith. 
Endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ. These are 
his injunctions. And all about us in the world there are 
the forces of sin, the powers of debasement. Whether 
they be wicked spirits in heavenly places, or whether they 
be the influences of heathenism, of immorality, of false 
teachers, of strifes and sins within the churches, he, un- 
daunted by the fact that his opponents are not flesh and 
blood, but invisible, spirits of the air, demons, or imper- 
sonal forces thinks not for a moment of surrender, or 
even of truce. The slander that would have us assume 
that there is disharmony between doctrine and life, that 
the preacher of doctrine is not practical, that zeal for 
truth means indifference to conduct, finds its effectual re- 
futation in the facts of the career of the Apostle. A man 
of intense faith, the great theologian and doctrinal teach- 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL B9 

er, he was the man of most earnest life, and of most sober, 
practical judgment and influence, in all the ages. 

If we were to go a step further in the following out 
of these thoughts we would find that Paul's man was 

3. A man of concentration. "This one thing I do" 
was his own description of his life-work. He found his 
task, and then he concentered all his powers upon it. So 
have the men done who have made history and who have 
been counted as influence, in their circle and their day. 
No man can do everything. Specialization is the recog- 
nized path of efficiency. Paul did not have to wait for 
the twentieth century to learn this. 

When the one aim of the life is that of St. Paul, we 
may fitly call it a consecrated life. That is, a life sur- 
rendered, offered up. It is no longer the possession of 
the man, to be guided, used, invested as he will, but it is 
a life laid upon the altar (Rom. XII, 2), to be lifted up 
by God, and employed as He chooses. And this is not 
the abandonment of manhood, but its glorification, its 
apotheosis. Henceforth it is in a divine hand, directed 
to the accomplishment of divine purposes, and filled v/ith 
divine power and blessing. Henceforth it is sacred to 
the love of God, and to the love of fellow-man. Sur- 
rendered to Christ it is like the loaves and fishes v/hich 
were first put into His hands, only to be blessed by Him, 
and then returned to the hands of the disciples, immeasur- 
ably multiplied and made sufficient for the divine purpose. 

This is the abdication of self The man of lofty type 
knows the meaning of the denial of self. He is ready as 
Paul was, to let His Lord choose for him the place, the 
time, and the task for his life energies. To him it mat- 
ters not whether at home, or abroad; whether among the 
lowly, or the exalted; whether in comfort or in poverty, 
his work is to be done. And he finds in this complete 



40 MOAJSrOKE COLLEGE 

submission, perhaps, to his surprise, that the denial of 
self has brought with It an infilHng of the Spirit of Christ, 
which lias not lessened but increased his joy, and that 
the rendering of the sacrifice "well-pleasing to God," has 
enabled him to learn what is the ''good and well-pleasing 
will of God." And as for the strength of his manhood, 
so far from losing it, he finds that he has not indeed, 
''hitched his v/agon to a star" but to the very chariot of 
the Almighty! 

And this consecration of the life, in which is the ul- 
timate glory of manhood, brings fearlessness. No man 
has proven diis better than him v/hose words we are con- 
sidering. Jewish mob, false brethren, Roman Governor, 
Imperial Nero, heathen hostile horde, — he met and faced 
and fearlessly brought his message to them all. For 
v/hen the life is given to God, He may be trusted to take 
care of it. Only the man of this sort of manhood, could 
say, "I hold not my life of any account, as dear unto my- 
self so diat I may accomplish my course, and the minis- 
try which I received from the Lord Jesus to testify the 
gospel of the grace of God." (Acts XX, 24.) Strength 
is a part of manliness, as he knows v/hen he adds to the 
words, "Be men", the other words, "be strong." 

We may w^ell grant that the man of definite convic- 
tions, of zealous activity, and of fearless consecration has 
the elements cf a complete manhood, but it would be a 
mistake to suppose that these are the only traits that are 
to be found, explicitly, or incidentally, in St. Paul's con- 
ception of a man. We might speak of his courtesy, the 
love of his own people, patriotism, his devotion to those 
who were led by him, all, and many more conspicuous 
characterisitics of the manhood which he exemplified. 
But we can hope on an occasion like this to point out 
only those great cardinal outlines of manly character 



''8^BMI-CEN'TElsr'NIAL '41 

^hich are essential, a^id, in its broad strokes, the portrait 
^of him whom Paul would call a MAN, is before us. 

It is not for the mere purpose of increase of 'mental 
power, that otor dear Atma Mat^r has lived and wrought 
for fifty years — but for the ^purpose of training -men! This 
is why she is, to-day, and has always been a Christain 
College, seeking by the life and character of her officers 
and Faculty to add the powerful influence of personality 
to the high ideals inculcated in chapel and class-room. 
This is her glory, that her sons have not been -utterly un- 
worthy, and the appeal of the Apostle conies at this cli- 
max of her history, enforced b}^ all her n oble past of pre- 
cept and endeavor. The inj u nction is, "B e men . " What 
will you be? Men of the world or men of the Kingdomi 
of God? M^n of the time or men of Eternity? Be true 
men. Attain unto the ifteasure of the stature of the ful- 
ness of Christ! Quit you like m.en! 

It is a question, full of significance to yourselves, re- 
vealing much concerning yourselves, my brothers, whether 
this ideal makes appeal to your hearts, or not. For he 
who finds nothing in such a conception to stir his heart 
with eager desire to realize in his life the highest and 
worthiest manhood, stands confessed, a base and sinful 
soul. But if the portrait does make the pulse beat with 
lofty ambition, let the daily practice of the life be accor- 
dant, for the dissipation of emotion without correspond- 
ing activity, turns sentiment into sentimentality, and robs 
impulse of its motive power. The man who feels and 
does not act, becomes a moral debauchee. Does the 
conception meet your highest thought, is it worthy of 
your effort, does it move you to admire? Then what will 
you do with it? It is not enough to know what a man is^ 
The injunction is, to be a man! What will you be? A 
man of the world, or a man of the kingdom of God? A 



42' HOAlSfOKE COLL£G£r 

man of the times, or a man of the eternities? It is for 

you to decide. Be a true man. Attain unto the measure 

of the stature of th:e fulness of Christ! Quit you Hke 
Jii€n>l 

MONDAY— CLASS DAY. 
CLASS DAY EXERCISES. 

The Senior Class Day exercises were held at 10:30^ 
on Monday morning; June 8, on the College Campus. 
A platform some three feet high was erected and deco- 
fated in college, class, and national colors, and from this 
the programm^e was rendered. Seats were provided 
under the trees for most of the large audience, and the 
Salem Band furnished excellent music for the occasion. 
Albert Kerr Heckel, of Pennsylvania, was master of 
Ceremonies and introduced the various speakers with 
appropriate remarks. Delmer Neal Pope, of North Car- 
olina, called the roll of the class of '03. Errell Hogan 
Orear, of Missouri, then took up the class motto, "AW 
Palma sirte Labored and discussed it at length, showino- 
Jts direct application to the class in their past efforts. 
Delmer Neal Pope exposed in a pleasant way the idio- 
syncrasies of the individual members of the class ; while 
their future was given to the public by Littell Gwinn 
McClung, of Virginia, in his Class Prophecy. Reuben 
Hansen, of Chicago, had the duty of presenting to each 
member of the class a present aptly suited to his merits 
and peculiarities. The Class Will was then read by 
Wilbur Chemnitz Mann, of Maryland, and the exercises 
of the morning were closed with the singing of the nev/ 
class song, *'Our Faculty." The exercises throughout 
sparkled With wit and humor, and the various personal 
hits were all taken in the same eood humor in v/hich 
they were given. 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 43 

CONTEST IN ORATORY. 

"The contest for the medal in oratt)ry, given annually 
by the literary societies, was held at 8:15 on Monday 
evening, June 8. Prof. Luther A. Fox, D. D. ^class of 
^6%), of th^ Faculty, presided and prayer was offered by 
Rev. J, Irenseus Miller, D. D. (class of '59), Summit, 
New Jersey. 

There were only two contestants, John Floyd Cook, 
Centennial, West Virginia, whose subject was "Altruism 
— a Remedy for Social Ills," and Wilbur Chemnitz Mann, 
Cumberland, Maryland, whose subject was ''Immortality." 

The judges were Mr. Ernest S. Dreher (class of '88), 
Superintendent of City Schools, Columbia, South Caro- 
lina ; James P. Woods (-class of '92), ex-mayor of Roa- 
noke, Virginia; and Mr. J. T. Parks ('84-86), Editor of 
The Patriot, Orangeburg, South Carolina. In a few 
witty remarks Mr. Woods made the announcement that 
the judges had awarded the medal to Mr. Mann. 

Immediately after the contest the audience repaired 
to the College Campus, where th^ students had prepared 
the most beautiful illumination the College has known 
for years. Hundreds of Japanese lanterns, aided by the 
soft rays of the moon, turned the old grove into a per- 
fect paradise of mellow light. The Salem Band furnished 
beautiful music and it was well toward midnight before 
the reluctant crowd of youth and beauty moved away. 

TUESDAY— REUNION DAY. 
WELCOME MEETING. 

On Tuesday, June 9, at 10:00 a. m. the procession 
formed on the Court House green and marched in double 
file to the Auditorium. The order of formation was as 



4'^ liOANOKE (JOLLEa£r 

follows^: Salem Band, Faculty, Board af Trustees^ speak- 
ers, representatrves' af other colleges, invited guests,, 
graduates, and ex-students (resident and visiting, in the 
order of time they attended- College), and the students 
of the present session by classes. Flags in College- 
colors, as well as nmny national flags, bearing the figures 
'^1853-1903," were carried in the procession. 

In the absence of the Mayor of Salem, Maj. W. W. 
Ballard presided to introduce the speakers who were to 
give addresses of welccHne, and President Dreher to in- 
troduce those who were ta respond to the addresses. 

Prayer was offered by Rev. Edmund W. Hubard, of 
Salem, Va. 

Major Ballard then introduced Mr, Charles D. Denit 
('77~7^)' Editor of the Salem Ximes- Register, who had 
been selected to deliver an address of welcom^e in behalf 
of the people of Salem. 

MR. I>EN1T's' ADDRESSv 

^'^It has never been my pleasure, Mr. Chairman, to 
discharge a more pleasing function than that which is 
fftine today — -of representing the people of this commu- 
nity in welcoming to our midst the graduates, ex-students,, 
and friends of Roanoke College, who have gathered here 
to unite with us in properly celebrating her semi-centen- 
nial anniversary ; and who, by their very presence, attest 
the lastingness and beauty • of their devotion to their 
Alma Mater. 

And let me add right here, my friends, that we beg 
of you not to measure the cordiality of that welcome by 
any other standard than that of the deepest meaning *of 
the word ''welcome" itself, as you see it upon yonder 
banner ; for in whatever respect I shall fall short in ex- 
pressing it, be assured that the desire of this people is, 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 45 

that from no source shall you feel your welcome to be 
more cordial and sincere than that which they bid me 
give to you. * * * It is unnecessary that 

I should even metaphorically deliver the keys of the city 
to you, for though the Mayor is absent, in the presence 
of his representative I am going to commit him to the 
promise that so far as you are concerned there shall be 
no keys to anything in Salem during this semi-centennial 
occasion. Therefore, my friends, w^e gladly bequeath to 
you the full freedom and liberty of the community, and 
trust that you may enjoy living over again, freely and 
fully, without tithe or hindrance, your old college days 
amongst us. * * * 

To many of you, however, the Salem of today will 
no doubt seem different from the Salem of your college 
days. The spirit of progress and improvement has not 
been lacking, you will agree ; but what will impress you 
most, perhaps, is the preponderance of new faces that 
are here to greet you, and the absence of old and dearly 
remembered ones who have been gathered to their eter- 
nal rest by Time's unfailing harvest. ♦ :f: ♦ 
But while they are gone, and you will miss them greatly, 
they have been succeeded by a people who as cordially 
bare their hearts and extend the open, welcom^ing hand 
in a manner that, I think I may say without boasting, has 
ever characterized the people of Salem on the score of 
hospitality. 

Roanoke's men, according to Dr. Dreher (and other 
reliable statisticians) are scattered all over the United 
States, from Maine to Mexico, and from Yorktown to 
Yuba Dam. Aye, they can be found on every part of 
this terrestrial ball, not excepting our newest and most 
troublesome possessions — the Philippine Islands — for 
some of them are there today teaching our little cousins 



46 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

*' how to shoot," and other Roanoke arts and tricks. 
But wherever they are, they have been apprised of what 
is to occur at these semi-centennial exercises, and it is 
safe to say that their hearts are with us today. Like the 
Jew in captivity in ancient Babylon who prayed ever 
with windows open to his beloved Jerusalem, so the Roa- 
noker absent today will unbar the windows of his heart 
toward his Alma Mater, and his memory will dwell in 
every leisure moment upon Salem and the College, to 
which distance of years and miles lend enchantment, to 
recollections of the old school days, the old boys and — 
the old girls, too. We wish they could all be here today 
again, for our welcome is broad enough to cover the ab- 
sent ones, as well as those present. 

Oh ! the joy of the recollections of those college days. 
Some of us are, perhaps, a trifle silvery-haired — thin- 
haired — to be at all sentimental, but many of us have, no 
doubt, felt the full force of what Stoddard, I believe it 
was, meant when he said, 

**That when youth, the dream, departs 
It takes something from our hearts 
And it never comes again. 

We may be stronger and be better 

Under manhood's sterner reign 
Still we feel that something sweet 
Followed youth with flying feet 

And will never come again. 

Something beautiful is vanished 

And we sigh for it in vain; 
We behold it every where, 
• On the earth and in the air, 

But it never comes again." 

No, the past is gone, but thank heaven for the power 
to recall it in memory at least; and it is thus that we hope 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 47 

you can live over again your college days amongst us, 
your triumphs and successes in the class-rooms and so- 
ciety halls, your youthful romances and associations, as 
well as the kindly and helpful lectures that came to you 
from the friendly lips of faithful professors, some of whom 
have since yielded up life's burdens, and whom, I dare 
say, you are ready now to confess that you have loved 
dearer than you knew. 

Who that ever sat under their teaching or is familiar 
with their life-work can ever forget the inspired Bittle, or 
those earnest, consecrated educators. Prof Frey, and Drs. 
Dosh, Davis, Yonce, and Wells, now gathered to their 
rewards after busy lives nobly and unselfishly spent that 
others might reap where they had sown? We, as a peo- 
ple, join with you, their former pupils, to-day in paying 
deserved tribute to their memories; and could we but 
draw aside the veil that separates us from the spiritual 
world, if it be that their glorified spirits regard us as we 
go to and fro in the discharge of our duties, imagine, if 
you can, the inspiration that would come from their beam- 
ing faces as they smiled their approval upon an occasion 
which means so much for th'e institution to which the best 
efforts of their lives were given, and see them beckon us 
on to still greater endeavors in her behalf and to every- 
thing that tends to the spread and advancement of edu- 
cation — the fore-runner, aye, the boon companion of a 
nobler citizenship and a truer Christianity. They are 
gone, but their works — the examples set for us — live 
after them in grateful and lasting memories! Truly for 
them 

*'Deep in each student heart's sacred shrine 
Love's altar lamp forever burns." 

But while we honor and revere the memories of the 
noble dead, we have reason to be thankful that their 



48 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

mantles have fallen upon worthy and capable successors, 
to whom are also justly due the tribute of duty faithfully 
performed, which brings its own merited reward. * * * 
I did not come to toss bouquets to-day, but if the occasion 
demanded it, I could with your entire approval, I am 
sure, hand some very handsome ones to the president 
and faculty of Roanoke College. No higher compliment 
could be paid them, however, than is bestowed in the 
confidence and esteem of those who know them best — of 
the parents of so many young men from all sections of 
the country, whose mental and Christian training for fu- 
ture life work is committed to their care, and the splendid 
results shown from that training. 

From out those college halls, from beneath the 
shade of the spreading trees on its beautiful campus, old 
Roanoke has sent out a great army of educated young 
men who, to her credit, have taken high rank in all of 
life's best callings wherever their lots have been cast. 
Whether in the pulpit, in the class-room, on the rostrum, 
in the halls of legislation, on the farm or among the arti- 
sans, they have not only reflected credit upon themselves 
but honor upon their Alma Mater, and they delight at all 
tirnes to spread abroad her name and fame. As a com- 
munity we have watched with pride and pleasure no less 
keen than that of the faculty and your classmates your 
.every triumph and success in the material world, and we 
ha.ve likewise shared your sorrows and misfortunes. 

;. Whatever interests Roanoke College and her stu- 
dents, past or present, is dear to the hearts of Salem peo- 
ple, and hence we mingle our enthusiasm with yours on 
this Semi-Centennial of Roanoke's splendid history and 
achievements. 

Fifty years old today! Beautiful age of maturity 
and strength and deeds! A half century of usefulness, 




CHARLES D. DENIT, ESQ., ('77-78.) 




HON. HENRY E. BLAIR, 

PRESIDENT BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 



's:EMi^cEirrEwmAL h\ 

of honorable and successful work among the young mea 
throughout this broad land of ours that has merited and 
won the affection of her beneficiaries, v/ho gladly place 
\ipon her brow the amaranthine crown of a high standard 
of Christian character. 

The old building so dear to us all is somewhat dis- 
mantled as you have seen; but in its place will soon arise 
a thing of beauty architecturally — a modern and thor- 
oughly equipped College building — a monument to the 
-energy and ability of the president and his co-workers of 
the faculty, no less than to the loyalty and liberality of 
those who have shared the benefits of their training, and 
are desirous that her field of usefulness shall be greatly 
broadened and extended. For this new and substantial 
evidence of your devotion the people of Salem, too, share 
the pride and satisfaction of the faculty, and trust that 
from it blessings many and abundant will flow until they 
encompass us all. 

Then, again, in the name of all these people I bid 
you welcome to Salem; to the Semi-Centennial, to ouf 
homes and our affections ! May the ties here again re- 
newed and cemented, the new friendships formed, the 
pleasures of the occasion and the recollections thereof 
that you will carry back to your homes with you, be as 
the seed of fragrant flowers, that shall live and grow and 
blossom henceforth in memory's bowers until Time, in his 
onward march shall place upon each brow his snowy 
crown — aye, until He bids us fall asleep I 

Major Ballard next introduced in a complimentary 
manner Hon. Henry E. Blair, President of the Board of 
Trustees, who had been selected to deliver an address of 
welcome on behalf of the College. It was a matter of 
general regret that Judge Blair should have deemed it 



52f ROANOKE COLLEGE 

best to make so brief an address. He spoke substan- 
tially as follows: 

JUDOE BLAIR's address. 

My Friends and the Friends of Roanoke College: 

If that introduction was intended for me, I do not 
know myself; but it is said that ''where ignorance is bliss 
it is folly to be wise." * As President of the Board of the 
Trustees of Roanoke College, and speaking for them as 
well as for the Faculty, I wish to say, in the first place, 
tliat we feel proud and very much gratified to have such 
a festal gathering of the friends of the College, including 
the brilliant governor of this illustrious old Common- 
wealth, and so many of the old students and the new 
students, of the ex-students and the in-students, to give 
life and spirit to this inspiring and perspiring occasion, 
and to assist in this celebration of the fiftieth year of Roa- 
noke College. If Roanoke College at this Semi-Centen- 
nial, can show herself to be, as she is, the biggest Col- 
lege of her size in the state, it augurs well for her future, 
and we have good reason to believe that if she lives to 
reach her whole centennial, she will be an institution of 
magnificent proportions. So with half a hundred of 
whole hearts and with the clasps of a whole hundred of 
loving hands, we welcome you to all the exercises and 
festivities of this to us, a most happy Semi-Centennial. 
And now, as there are so many others to speak and as 
brevity is said to be the soul of wit, I will stop and give 
to others time and space for what they have to say. 

President Dreher then said that no words of public 
welcome needed to be spoken by him to assure the old 
students of a most cordial welcome to their Alma Mater 
to participate in the Jubilee Celebration. Every former 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 5S 

student felt the warmth of his welcome in the hearty 
grasp of the hands of the professors and in words expres- 
sive of unmistakable pleasure in the reunion of old stu- 
dents and their instructors. To the addresses of cordial 
welcome by Mr. Denit on behalf of the people of Salem 
and of Judge Blair on behalf of the College, it seemed 
fitting that some response should be made, and hence he 
had been requested by the Committee to call upon the 
President of the General Association of Roanoke Stu- 
dents and representatives from various states to make 
response to the addresses of welcome to the town and 
to the College. 

As Hon. George W. Koiner, A. M. (class of 'j^)^ 
President of the General Association, though in Salem, 
was too unwell to be present, President Dreher called 
upon President James H. Turner (class of '67), a Vice- 
President of the Association, who made a happy response 
for the general body. 

President Dreher then called on others to respond 
in the following order : 

Rev. J. I. Miller, D. D. (class of '59), New Jersey. 

Donelson Caffery, Jr., Esq. ('83-84), of Louisiana. 

O. C. Rucker, A. M., Esq. (class of '81), of Virginia. 

Rev. Paul Seig, A. M. (class of '87), of Virginia. 

Rev. L. A. Mann, D. D. (class of '60), of Maryland. 

Rev. C. Armand Miller, A. M. (class of '87), of 
New York. 

Prof. Ernest S. Dreher, A. M. (class of '88), of South 
Carolina. 

Rev. J. B. Umberger, A. M. (class of '84), of Ohio. 

Chas. E. Anderson, A. M. (class of '89), of Miss- 
issippi. ' *' 

Prof H. P. Stemple, A. M. (class of '98), of Penn- 
sylvania. 



54 nOAJSrOKE COLLEGE' 

James Craft Akard (class of '99), of Tennessee 
C. A. Ritchie (class of '01), of North Carolina. 
In spite of the length of this part of the programme^ 
the greatest interest was shown by the audience in the 
interesting, witty, and humorous responses made. All 
who heard the addresses felt the assurance that Salem 
and the College indeed offered a royal welcome to their 
returning sons and tliat the offer was heartily and grate- 
fully accepted. 

ADDRESSES BEFORE THE GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 

A large audience assembled in the Auditorium at 
8:15 on Tuesday evening, June 9, to hear the addresses 
before the General Association of Roanoke Students. 
President J. H. Turner (class of '6"]) presided. Prayer 
was offered by Rev. Alexander Phillippi, D. D. (class of 
'57), Wytheville, Virginia. President Turner then intro- 
duced Rev. Robert C. Holland, D. D: (class of '60), 
Charlotte, North Carolina, who spoke substantially as 
follows ^ 

DR. HOLLA^^D^S ADDRESS-. 

Not the least among the anticipated joys of this 
great jubilee of Roanoke College was that embodied in 
the order assigned for this evening — "Reunion." To 
clasp hands after decades of years, yea for more than two 
score years, and to renew the fellowship of College days 
at the invitation of our Alma Mater on the great festival 
of her Semi-Centennial Anniversary, is a privilege to be 
cherished with feelinors of congfratulation. Do tears start 
over the absence of some, both professors and students, 
to memory dear, and the heart involuntarily gives forth 
a sigh of conscious loss? Yet, we shall not allow ourselves 



SEMl-CENTENRIAL 55 

to drift into melancholy strain. Our queenly mother bids 
us cheer. She still reaches out her hand in joyous wel- 
come and we rejoice in her well-preserved beauty, and 
the princely heritage of glory and renown, which are hers 
well-earned, as they have been through her fifty years of 
toil, sacrifice, devotion and fidelity. We rejoice in her 
honor, and are proud of her stately charms. We, there- 
fore, gather here in glad reunion. Her honor is our honor, 
her joy shall be our joy, and we will not mar this jubi- 
lee festival with tearful regrets over what may be lacking 
in the feast. There is enough in this feeling of home- 
coming to fill our cup to the brim, not only in the way of 
blessed reminiscence, but of mutual congratulation upon 
being the Sons of Roanoke, whose name has gathered 
lustre enough through the passing years to encircle our 
own brows with a halo of reflected honor. 

Such an occasion as this is naturally suggestive of 
reminiscence. Memory tends to reproduce, with mingled 
humor and pathos some characteristic pictures of col- 
lege life — its ideals, ambitions, and passion for oratory. 
More particularly at this time comes to mind the fascinat- 
ing idealism of the College atmosphere in the days pre- 
ceeding war's alarms in 1861, — idealism rather of the 
Platonic Academy, converting the groves of Alma Mater 
into classic shades echoing the voices of ancient Greece 
and Rome. Greek was studied because it was Greek, 
and Latin because it was spoken by Cicero, and philos- 
ophy because it was transcendental. Typically South- 
ern, the students readily imbibed the lofty idealism 
of their reverend teachers, and scaled the heights and 
conquered (as we dreamed) holding aloft the banner in- 
scribed a priori. We lassooed the Stars a priori, and 
solved the problems of being and destiny on a priori 
principles. We stood on theory as on a foundation of 



56 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

granite, and relegated Bacon into quiet inutility. We 
worshipped ideas. It was the charm of our Southland, it 
was the charm of Roanoke. In 1861 with diplomas un- 
der our arm, we donned the grey, and carrying our phil- 
osophy into the quick-step of panoplied soldiery we be- 
held theoretically the stars aud bars waving triumphantly 
over the capitol of the Confederacy, but practically — well 
— bu t the ^/r2<?r/ was beautiful, and true to our Alma 
Mater, we still bow at that shrine. 

Coming back to those classic groves after years of 
separation we do miss the familiar faces and cordial hand 
grasp of those venerated guides of our youth, Bittle, 
Yonce, Wells. But we will not pine. They are with us 
still. As the gathered mist upon yon mountain side 
gives it softened beauty and stirs the soul to poetic 
imagery, so memory of those sainted ones gives to these 
academic groves and those halls of learning, a touch of 
soulful coloring that holds us in a spell of hallowing rev- 
erie. Every tree becomes a poem and those shady walks 
become avenues of sacred visions. They were never 
with us more really or benedictively than they are today 
in this home-coming jubilee, and they bid us welcome 
and cheer, and today we would pay them the homage of 
grateful loving hearts. 

Our queenly mother who gives us such graceful wel- 
come to this feast of her Jubilee is worthy of the best gifts 
we can bring her. It is around her festal board that we 
gather in family reunion and to her is due our common 
greeting. And yet, some of us must shrink somewhat 
abashed as the memory of filial ingratitude rushes upon 
us. 'Tis meet that we should bow in humble confession 
in view of the small part we have contributed to make 
this her Jubilee so worthy. We crave her absolution for 
past indifference. Owing so much to her for all the honor 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 5 7 

that has come to us, how shall we atone for withholding 
from her the service and honor she may have justly 
claimed at our hands ? How little can we claim to our- 
selves of the honor that now rests upon her brow. 
Crowned queen among our Southern Colleges how scant 
the jewels she can place to our credit. 

Yet we will make one marked exception. To whom 
is that jeweled crown in which we rejoice to-day most 
indebted for valiant service of loyalty ? Which of all her 
sons may our Alma Mater place to-day upon the seat of 
honor at her right hand? Should you place the badge 
of honor in my hands to be a decoration for the alumnus 
who has distinguished himself above all others for self- 
denying, persevering, loyal, and successful service in her 
behalf I should merit the frown of this vast audience and 
the protest of every worthy son of Roanoke did I not 
single out our honored brother who for twenty-five years 
as president, amid manifold discouragements, with un- 
wavering fidelity, has kept the Roanoke banner waving 
in the advance in the onward movement toward higher 
educational ideals ; and the applause which the college 
wins today is due in largest measure to the efficient 
leadership of Dr. JuHus D. Dreher. 

My brother alumni and fellow students, we have 
met amid scenes which shall never lose their hold upon 
our memories, and have looked into each other's faces 
to renew our pledges of continued brotherhood. It may 
be that we shall not thus meet again. But let us not 
separate till we have once more drank from Roanoke's 
choicest fountain — till we have again mastered her first, 
last, and best lesson. Those dismantled walls ! What 
means it ? Upon those ruins shall rise a beautiful super- 
structure to greet us should we return to these college 
groves. Roanoke dies that she may live. The life blood 



58 , ROANOKE COLLEGE 

of a Bittle, the self-immolation of a Dosh, the heroic sac- 
rifice of a Dreher, the martyrdom of a Yonce and Wells 
remind us that Roanoke lives because she has died. 
Over her portals are written in historic characters the 
legend, Periissem ni perils sem. What better motto can 
we bear with us as we go forth from this place of heroic 
struggle and sacrifice than that of the Scotch baron — 
"I had perished had I not perished." 

President Turner next introduced Donelson Caffery, 
Jr., Esq., ('83-84), Franklin, La. 

MR. CAFFERY's address. 

If no energy is allowed to waste in nature,, we who 
are a part of its kingdom and subject to its laws, must 
furnish much of what it gathers up and preserves for 
continued activity and influence in the future. The law 
of heredity is a mere branch of what may be called the 
law of continuity, for heredity is the direct application of 
accumulated forces, while by contagion and continuity, 
the latest man receives the impress of myriads, not his 
ancestors, who have gone before. '*I am a part of all I 
have been." Aye, and of all that other men have been. 

The dead past does, indeed, bury its dead, but the 
apparent death and the real one are often centuries apart. 
''Le roi est mort, vive le roi" expresses the idea of the 
perpetuity of the state, but it fails to express the oneness 
of the present, for in the ruling powers of our human na- 
ture there is no birth and no death. Faith, Hope, and 
Charity are the same yesterday, to-day and forever. 
Honor, Love, Duty, and Reverence maintain their change- 
less sway over all people through every age. 

''The past, at least, is secure," said the great Mass- 
achusetts Senator, but he paid it only half tribute. It is 




ROBERT C. HOLLAND, D. D. 

(class of '60.) 




HON. DOKELSON CAFFERY, JR., f 83-84.) 



SEMI- CENTEKNIAL ' 61 

more than secure; It is supreme. It does not content it- 
self with a negative security; it is a vital, ceaseless, over- 
powering force, of which the present is a mere decree, 
and under whose influence men become representatives 
of by-gone events and thoughts. The reign of the past 
over the present is felt to become tyranny when it tight- 
ens to the grip of some early and savage instinct, but the 
change for the better comes likewise from the past, from 
some nobler impulse planted deep in the original struc- 
ture of a man, which, in the end, asserts its supremacy. 

Like the overflow of the Nile, each generation leaves 
an accretion of betterment learning and wisdom and right- 
eousness; and, unless the savage-nature is stronger than 
the soul-nature in us, we are building for far-ofl" races, to 
be always of the earth, but of less and less earthiness. 

Progress and civilization are not the fruits of the im- 
mature hour. They have their beginnings far back in im- 
penetrable mists. They represent the triumphs won by 
the higher man over nature and his lower self; they are 
the trophies of his many victories. But these conflicts 
of mouldering centuries rage about us every day, as they 
did when, with notes more tragic than in any chorus of 
Aeschylus, the chorus of the morning stars ushered in 
the long war of extermination between the antagonistic 
principles of civilization and barbarism. 

Civilization has many fortresses, among the least 
and weakest of which are those where soldiery and 
cannon are gathered. The military paraphernalia of a 
state will not stand the test of time for the purpose of 
defense. The surges of barbarism may be checked for 
generations by walled cities and stone forts, but they 
sweep over such barriers at last. At Tours, the Saracens 
failed, but at Constantinople, their brethren overwhelmed 
the Empire of the East. The Allemanni and the Goths 



63 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

fled more than once before the eagles of Caesar, but they 
finally sacked the Eternal City. Nor could Memphis 
save Egypt, or Nineveh save Assyria from conquering 
hordes. Strong walls have failed, fortified capitals have 
failed, armored ships will fail as the basis and bulwarks 
of power and dominion unless re-inforced by that invisi- 
ble and moral strength of civilization, w^hich seems pow- 
erless before the sword, but of which the sword is the 
slave. 

Civilization must defend itself, not by destroying or 
barring out its enemies as of old, but by elevating them 
to its own standards and by enfolding and absorbing 
them within itself. It is the function of the engines of 
war to stand between our firesides and the enemy, but 
the engines of civilization, by a process of mental natu- 
ralization, make the enemy one of us. The high schools 
scattered over the land will outweigh, in the scale of na- 
tional defense, the whole army and navy. In the hour 
of national need, Oxford will have done more for Eng- 
land than Gibraltar, and Roanoke, more for the United 
States than Fortress Monroe. 

It is well for us and for the future that a part of the 
regnant past has been this venerable seat of learning. 
The twentieth century will owe much to Roanoke Col- 
lege. In the half-century of its existence, it has sown 
the seed from which will spring strength and uprightness 
in many generations hence. It has cast upon the waters 
of time bread which posterity will find after many days. 

In view of the way we Americans admire ourselves, 
it may not be generally admitted that our stock can be 
improved upon, or that institutions of learning are indis- 
pensable to our national development. Not many Con- 
gressmen would like to commit themselves in the Con- 
gressional Record to the opinion that the United States 



BE 311- CENTEKNIAL % 3 

could not cope, without any education at all, with Eng- 
land, Germany, and France, combined, with the entire 
population of each diplomaed by Oxford, Heidelberg and 
the Sorbonne. With so intense a self-admiration, it is 
surprising to find as a characteristic of our people as a 
whole a want of proper respect for the laws we ourselves 
make, and for the authority we have constituted over us; 
but it is easy to see that it all arises from a pure want of 
capacity to digest the too bountiful liberty which is our 
daily food, and from carrying the idea of equality to ex- 
tremes. The individual too often puts himself on an 
equality, not with his peers, but with the whole of society, 
and, society permitting it, each man becomes a law unto 
himself. 

The proper adjustment of the individual to the soci- 
ety of which he forms part, has been the problem of the 
ages. All public laws tend to that ultimate end. The 
great questions of State are merely phases of the central 
problem. The tariff and trust questions arise from our 
not knowing how to adjust the rights of the individual in 
his trading v/ith societv. The rioht of an individual to 
other, and humbler, members of society gave rise to the 
slavery question. The right of an individual to appro- 
priate, by any process, more than his due share of socie- 
ty's goods underlies the income-tax and trust questions, 
which are mere preludes to the greater and underlying 
question: to that question which agonized France, and 
caused her, in her frenzy and rage, to stamp out her 
privileged class as a poisonous growth, and which, in 
'England, helped to bring one monarch to the block, and 
to drive another from his throne. It may be called the 
great Property question, beside which, in material impor- 
tance, the slavery question itself would appear subordi- 
nate. It has never arisen until this acre, because never 



64 ROAKOKE COLLEGE 

before have peace and the arts and settled government 
so permitted and encouraged the accumulation of wealth. 
At other stages of the World's history, wealth was no 
sooner created than, in time of war, it was levied upon, 
or, in time of peace, some Robin Hood, or some Baron 
Front-de-Boeuf had hawked it. 

We shall soon be face to face with the Property 
question, arising as an incident of civilization, and as a 
menace to it; and if it is settled without madness, without 
the commune and the guillotine, we shall largely owe it 
to the conservative influence, the same thinking and the 
generous philosophy which emanate from academic 
groves, and which have been garnered up within academic 
walls as precious gems fused from the dust and travail 
of centuries. 

The ever burning flame of the vestal virgins could not 
be kept alive by them, but that handed down to us in a 
long line through the seers of Chaldea, the priests of 
Isis and Osiris, the philosophers of Athens, and the mon- 
asteries and universities of the Middle Ages, grows 
brighter with the years upon altars fed by every church, 
every good newspaper, every teacher, every just man on 
earth; and by its light — the same that guided the feet of a 
grand Virginian, when, in a crisis of this nation's history, 
the Old Dominion stood hesitating between peace and 
war — by its light, we may read, and, at least partially 
solve the mighty questions of fate. The open method by 
which uncivilized men preyed upon each other was by 
reducing the weak and defeated to captivity and slavery, 
but the subtler process — peculiar to advanced civilization 
— of monopolizing in the hands of a few the common 
means of subsistence, has the disadvantage that it can- 
not be resisted by force and arms. The civilized prey 
can be compassed about by statutes and franchises which 



SEMI-CENTENKIAZ 66 

make their assimilation both safe and pleasant to the 
monopolist; and it is to statutes that they must first look 
for deliverance. It is not astonishing that the monopo- 
list will ply his trade, if permitted; what is astonishing is 
that the monopolized sufferers exercise so little ingenuity 
and offer so little resistance in their defense, and are so 
easily deluded by the cunning sophistry of the m.onopo- 
list that his operations enure to their benefit. 

Under our system of government, Congress has full 
authority to regulate and tax commerce between the 
States; and the effective way to reach the trusts is to pro- 
hibit inter-state dealings by them, and inter-state trans- 
portation of their products. What has saved them so far 
has been the futility of legislation aimed at monopolies in 
production or manufacturing; but when monopolies are 
checked at the lines, when they can find no place where 
to lay their tentacles, save in the wilds of New Jersey, 
their power for harm is broken. That this is the proper 
way to exterminate the trusts can easily be gathered from 
what Chief Justice Fuller said when the Sugar Trust was 
being prosecuted, and from what Associate Justice Har- 
lan has more recently said concerning the inter-state 
transportation of lottery tickets. 

The Constitution is so clear upon this point that it 
ought not to have required two decisions of the Supreme 
Court of the United States to suggest to Congress its 
unquestionable right to hem up one State, and thereby 
throttle, the mightiest trust in the land. 

But the aggregation of individuals who prey upon 
society in commerce run only that gauntlet of the law 
which is made easy for them, because similar and friendly 
aggregations invade the legislative halls, and it is there 
that the monopolist, variously called the ''organization" 



66 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

and the ''boss", flourishes as bay tree never did. The 
commercial and political monopolists are always friendly; 
the one sustains and feeds the other, but even if their 
friendliness is not that of the dollar, the powerful leader, 
the influential Senator or Representative at Washington, 
could not exist if not conservative, and this conservatism, 
this necessity of his being considered a friend of property, 
so that property will be a friend of his, has much, perhaps 
most, to do with keeping legislation aimed at the abuses 
of wealth off the statute-books. 

Society's efforts, her penalties and convulsions have 
all failed permanently to keep the individual in his place. 
Such abnormal displacements as occur now are wholly 
new, and society ^may have in store some remedy also 
new. We only have before us, to hasten the application 
of remedy, the ugly fact that having may become a crime, 
when too many others have not; and that, w^hen society 
decrees mere having to be criminal, the penalty is des- 
truction of the guilty, and of itself. 

In a Republic, just as everywhere else, it is neces- 
sary to curb the assaults of the one on the rights of many. 
We make and administer the laws and conduct the Courts 
ourselves. All public functionaries are more amenable, 
therefore to the personal equation than anywhere else on 
earth. A man in his capacity of voter or controller of 
votes ceases to be a normal unit of society, almost as 
much as the millionaire, or the controller of millions. These 
units of society expand to undue proportions by reason 
of the preversion of some of the most admirable qualities. 
Friendship, for example, though a private virtue, becomes 
a public nuisance. It swerves the voter from his sense 
of right and sets aside his judgment as a guide in public 
matters. The thousands of votes which are cast, not 
from a sense of duty, but on account of some personal in- 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 6 7 

fluence, make it doubtful whether, in the fairest election, 
the best sense of the majority is actually expressed. 

It ought to be a crime to solicit votes; (it may not 
be Utopian to suggest that) it ought to be a crime to 
pack juries. In that branch of the government lying 
closer to the people than any other, in the Courts, justice 
is hampered in more cases than it would be safe to say 
by kind friends who angle for jury service, or who, as 
court officers, contrive that the box shall be filled with 
other friends, or who, if facts are stubborn, will make of 
the witness-box a mint for facts, or, if the law is forbid- 
ding, will tweak the ear of the Court. Friendship, in its 
degradation, blocks administrative officers at every step. 
Duty to one's country must narrow itself into duty to 
one's circle of friends, the test of fitness is the last thing 
the appointed power is expected to consider. 

That the warm and immediate tie will triumph over 
general obligation with most men is shown by the im- 
mortality that Brutus won by surrendering his sons to 
the law. Brutus will have few imitators; and personal 
loyalty will continue, until blood becomes thinner, to 
stand by the incompetent and undeserving, and to raise 
itself as a shield that the criminal may go unwhipt of jus- 
tice. 

But with it all, friendship remains one of the rare 
and splendid virtues of the race. It divides its crust. It 
comforts in prison. It gives, without stint or reward. 
Despite winter and snow, it offers its coat to its comrade. 
Despite waters and death, it yields its buoy to the weaker 
swimmer, in the love greater than which no man has. 
Without it there would be little consolation for the cold- 
fiess and hardness of this world, scant refuge from its 
strife, no oasis in its chilly waste, no pole-star for the buf- 
feted and weary heart. 



&8 BOANOKE COLLEGE 

If patriotism itself can grow into narrowness and un- 
charitableness, if it can blunt a nation's sense ot justice, 
and evoke from a whole people laudation of tyranny over 
the weak; if the worship of Him, whose breath is Mercy, 
whose glance is Love, whose footstool is this earth, can 
take the form of bigotry, persecution, and witch-burn- 
ing, we need not be shocked when of the high impulses, 
the ''better angels of our natures," prove allies of v/rong 
and folly. 

We build character and mind with gold and precious 
metals. Evil is the alloy. It has a magnetic way of inch- 
ing itself into the composition, unless barred out, or 
driven back, so that character, although to a certain ex- 
tent enduring, is in a constant flex and reflex, on a per- 
petual mend and decay. No man, not even any of the 
princes and counselors of the earth, can realize how vast is 
the power and how remote are the sources and the fruits 
of the deeds of his one life. Those who exercise power 
can feel its weight in their hands and see its results be- 
fore their eyes, but the subtle reach and play of a man's 
character are beyond his own, or any, vision, or conject- 
ure. We find a truth developing through centuries, a 
gleam here through the darkness, and one there, until it 
bursts into radiance in the sunlight of some mind. Great 
men are thus the treasure houses of time and humanity. 
In them are focused the aspirations and strength of the 
countless millions who were reckoned as clods of the 
earth, and whose names did not survive them — of the vil- 
lage Hampdens, and the mute, inglorious Miltons. 

The ashes of voiceless generations past, and yet to 
be, spoke through Webster. The fire and sword that 
had flamed a thousand years in war flamed again in Na- 
poleon. The accents of Thomas Jefferson in the Declara- 
tion of Independence were heard before Runnymede, 



SEMI-CENTENKIAL %^ 

and were merely echoed at Naseby, at Lexington and 
Concord, as they will be again in the coming years, to 
mingle with the shouts of a new Runny mede, and the 
thunders of a grander Bunker Hill. 

There is an immortality, other than of the soul, that 
pursues our steps, and snatches us, for mankind, from 
the grave. Achilles lives again in valorous fights. Plato 
reasons well and always in grave debates. Cleopatra 
smiles upon other Anthonies. "I find Fm growing old 
and every year steals something from me," cried Horace, 
in the sadness of gathering years; but the years do not 
rob, they immortalize, and Horace, ''forever young and 
forever new," is not dead, nor does he slumber. 

Why should a man despair? The gloom surrounding 
him may have no promxise of lifting; the pettiness of his 
life may last, even to the end; and his soul may sink be- 
neath trials and disgrace; but not in vain, not in vain has 
he struggled, not in vain has he lived. He is a part of 
the system of eternity. Poetry and divine truth, and he- 
roic deeds may not come to fruition in him, but he knows 
not that an Iliad, or a Reformation, or an Empire, is not 
obscurely germinating in, or through him, and that the 
unsuspected wings of his soul may not bear aloft, as his 
legatee, some Hom.er, some Martin Luther, or some 
Caesar. It was not emipty vain-glory in Paracelsus to 
say: 

*'I go to prove my soul. 
I see my way as birds their trackless way. 
I shall arrive. What time, what circuit first) 
I ask not; but unless God sends his hail, 
Or blinding fireballs, sleet or stifling snow, 
In some time, His good time, I shall arrive." 

It is ground for complaint but not for discourage- 
ment, that a millionaire here, and a boss there, will usurp 



76 EOANOKE' COLLEGE' 

the wealth and power which a more perfect system would 
fetam in the cammunity as a whale; for, back of it all, we 
find that the immense capacity of an individual for harm^ 
is merely the measure of some other individual's capacity 
for good; and if a Tamerlane may scourge the human 
race, and pile up his mountains of skulls, so conversely, 
an Antonius may soften and sweeten the v/orld with jus- 
tice and peace. It is comforting, in reading over the cat- 
alogue of crimes, to believe that against the record of each 
may be set the unrecorded happening of a thousand good 
deeds; that a murder or a perjury may be off^set and out- 
wei?ghed in God's accounts with man by sacrifices made,, 
by faith kept, by charities done. 

Let no man despair; the judgments a{ fate cannot 
be final, but are modified or reversed, with each shifting 
hour, as the ebbing of the tide and flowing of the tides 
of the sea. The glittering world erects a wall around it- 
self, and the hearts of those who are barred out, or cast 
out, will sink like lead, but never yet was there a gate, 
save one, inflexibly and forever guarded with flaming 
sword. No barriers, no inheritance laws, no monopolies, 
usurpations or trusts can cheat the newcomer of his heri- 
tage in the earth, which lies before him, fresh and fair as 
the dawn, offering up to his labor its fruits and riches. If 
strong individuals build up these barriers, he, with 
strength as great will break them down. He must say 
to piles of brick, or stone, or steel, or to bales of goods, 
or stacks of coin, 'T am thy master, though in rags, I 
am thy lineal lord, though I am homeless. I am greater 
than thou, and thou shalt not enter my inward life; but 
thou art mine, and neither thou, nor they whom thou 
servest, can resist me, and my men's work, or my title, 
and my man's inheritance." 

A man must know his weight and value as a force 



in society, and as a link between history and posterity-, 
-else, in accounting himself as of little worth, he may, 
when his surrender to small or evil things has been com- 
plete, and he is bound, as Faust was, to discover that m 
ihis unknown self, there lurked a capacity or a nobleness 
that would have made him great or honored. He can- 
not appraise his exact value — the great will under-esti- 
Tnate it, the weak will measure it by false standards^ 
but he should not enter the world's arena unless he be- 
lieves that obstacles are weak, as against his determina- 
tion to overcome them, and that the settled order itself 
will yield to his just and bold opposition. 

''He that overcometh shall inherit all things." The 
saddest spectacle in all the v/orld is the hopeless man, 
the man who feels his discouragements and burdens 
weigh upon his shoulders like the world itself without 
any Atlas-spirit within him to withstand and lighten them. 
The harm, the ruin, and crime that are piled up as the 
work of his desperate hands, fill the world with woe, and 
blot out the sun of truth and justice for days, but through 
this and all other evil that force which is the indomitable 
spirit, is working to transmit weakness into strength and- 
evil into good. All law and one God ever guide to one 
goal. There is but one God, and his prophets and agents 
are many — the high and the low, the willing and the 
unwilling, the strong and the weak, the living and the 
dead. 

Colonel George C. Cabell, Jr., A. M. (class of '88), 

Norfolk, Va., who was on the programme for an address, 

was prevented from being present by important legal 

business. 

President Turner next introduced Professor F. V. 

N. Painter, D. D. (class of '74), of the Faculty, who read 

the following Poem, composed by himself for the occasion. 



72t ROANOKE GOLLEQK 



-THE REUNION POEM. 

O mystery of life and lave \ 

As swiftly flit the silent years, 
I^ike eve's lone hurtling dove, 

More dear and still more dear appears 
Each childhood scenes each haunt of youth, - 
Those days when hopes were hued like truth- 

Until we turn, a pilgrim train. 

To greet those shrine- like spots again. 

And thas, with tender, chastened hearts, 
And memories thrilled with olden lifey- 

You come again, from busy ma,rts, 
Where trad^ pursues its noi&y strife. 

Or from the fields where cotton grows. 

Or inland river winding flows, 

From mountain heights where linger snows^ 
In budding spring, to wander o'er 
The scenes of college days once more. 

O ruthless change \ O spirit hand. 

Whose touch unseen from out the dark 

Is bringing low or building grand 

Man's life and work, behold thy mark. 

In bearded face and silvered hair, 

In portly forms with stately air^ 

And thoughtful brows like temples fair^ 
Is present here, for all obey 
The might of thy all-conquering sway. 

With fond yet lonely hearts you tread 
The college halls and quiet ways, 

But miss the absent or the dead 
Who made the joys of other days. 

But oh, their spirits still are here ! 

From distant homes or Heaven's sphere, 

They come to share the festal cheer 

That makes us glad ; for love's deep sigh 
Thrills messages through earth and sky. 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 73 

O dear delights of college days, 

Of careless freedom, friendships true, 
Of soaring hopes, and generous praise, 

And future robed in fancy's hue ! 
Fair learning's page is there unrolled ; 
Inspired by hero deeds of old, 
High aims within the soul unfold. 

Before the earth, still robed in grace, 

Becomes the stale and commonplace. 

How sweet to greet long absent friends. 

To hear again the well-known voice, 
To clasp the hand that love extends. 

And with unselfish hearts rejoice ! 
The old-time gaiety returns. 
And youthful ardor brightly burns. 
And once again the spirit yearns 

For high endeavor, truth, and worth, 

To bless our sordid, care-worn earth. 

We see once more the visions throng 

That filled the future's rosy sky. 
And with undaunted hearts we long 

To grasp those treasures ere they fly. 
INew life in every pulse-beat thrills ; 
Our eyes are closed to coming ills, 
And hope each generous spirit fills. 

Ere yet we sadly learn to smile 

At those fond dreams that youth beguile. 

With grateful hearts and solemn pace, 

We bring affection's tribute meet, 
And lay it, with a lowly grace, 

At silvered Alma Mater's feet. 
Not hers to boast great piles of stone 
Or boundless wealth ; her pride alone. 
As richest jewels, still to own 

True men as sons, who with their might, 

Like mountains tall, stand strong for right. 



74 BOANOKE COLLEGE 

When once again, as long ago, 

We turn where God has fixed our place, 
May thoughts of present scenes bestow 

On life and work a new-born grace \ 
May noble aims our hearts inspire ; 
May useful deeds and love's bright fire 
Consume the dross of base desire. 

Till that Reunion on the shore 

Where partings come, oh I nevermore. 

WEDNESDAY— SEMI-CENTENNIAL DAY. 
THE HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 

On Wednesday, June lo, at lo a. m., the proces- 
sion formed at the Court House and proceeded to the 
Auditorium. A large audience assembled eager to hear 
the addresses commemorative of the College. Prayer was 
offered by Rev. L. G. M. Miller, D. D., a trustee of the 
the College, Roanoke, Va. The song, *'Hail, Dear Old 
Roanoke," to the tune of the Russian National Hymn, 
was well rendered by a choir of twenty-five voices of 
College men, assisted by a number of ladies of Salem. 
President Dreher introduced William McCauley, A. M., 
(class of '59), Salem, Va., who read the historical ad- 
dress. 

" MR. MCCAULEy's address. 

As we stand today on the heights of these times of 
grand opportunities and still grander possibilities, and mar- 
vellous achievements in human knowledge and endeavor, 
it is well for us to cast a retrospective glance on the way 
over which our beloved Institution has come. This way 
has been at times a via dolorosa marked with the trials, 
the tears, and the prayer-burdened sighs of its founders 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 75 

and sustalners, as they wrought in faith for its up-build- 
ing and maintenance. As we mark the results of the 
past fifty years, is it too much for us to say that the ap- 
proval of God has attended the progress of our Alma 
Mater all along that way? 

Like the most of great and useful institutions, Roanoke 
College has had its humble beginnings. It did not spring 
full-panoplied into being,but by the slow process of uninter- 
mitting effort, sore privations,and distressing perplexities, 
it has reached its present state of development. A little 
more than sixty years ago, a young man was laboring as 
a Lutheran minister of the Gospel in Augusta county, 
Virginia. He was a native of Maryland, and this was 
his first pastorate. As he went in and out among his 
people, ministering to their spiritual needs, he became 
deeply impressed with the importance of elevating the 
standard of intelligence in the agricultural communities 
around him, and, therefore, of increasing educational fa- 
cilities among his parishioners. To name this young 
minister. Rev. David Frederick Bittle, is to pronounce 
the name of one, so long and so closely identified yvith 
Roanoke College, that he was, as it were, during a great 
part of its history, its personal embodiment. To him, 
more than to any other agency, it owes its existence. 
Through his self-denying labors, his unflagging zeal, and 
his faith-inspired prayers, it was, in a great degree, en- 
abled to pass safely and successfully through its earlier 
struggles. In the year 1842, soon after Mr. Bittle had 
entered upon his pastoral charge. Rev. Christopher C. 
Baughman, then located in Frederick county, Maryland, 
who was also interested in educational work, was com- 
pelled by failing health to abandon the active work of the 
ministry. After resigning his charge, he went to Aug- 
usta county, Virginia, no doubt upon the solicitation of Mr. 



16 MOANOKE COLLEGE 

Bittlc, and together with him snceeded in interesting 
some intelligent laymen, chief among whom were Capt. 
George Shuey and Benjamin F. Hailman, Esq., to unite with 
them in an effort to establish an institution for teaching the 
higher branches of English, Ancient Languages and 
Mathematics. 

The school was begun as a private enterprise and 
was located in the neighborhood of Mt. Tabor church, 
within the bounds of Rev. Bittle's charge, and about eight 
miles southwest of Staunton. Two unpretentious log 
buildings were erected on the land of Benjamin F. Hail- 
man, Esq., and about a hundred yards from his residence. 
One of these buildings, consisting of two apartments, was 
to be used for lecture and recitation rooms, and the other, 
which is still standing, for lodging rooms for the students. 
Mr. Baughman was to be the Principal, and teacher of 
Ancient Languages, and Mr. Bittle was to give instuc- 
tion in Mathematics during two days in the week. The 
school was named the "Virginia Institute." 

The attention of the (Lutheran) Synod of Virginia 
was soon directed to this school, and we find that at the 
annual meeting thereof in May, 1843, ^ document pro- 
posing a plan for a classical institution within the bounds 
of the Synod was submitted for the consideration of the 
body, whereupon a resolution was adopted approving the 
proposed plan and appointing a committee, consisting of 
Revs. A. R. Rude, D. F. Bittle, and Thomas Miller, and 
Messrs. J. W. Pifer and Paul Sieg, to examine and report 
upon the same as might in their judgment seem expedi- 
ent. This committee reported at the same meeting, and 
in their report suggested ''the propriety of establishing 
and maintaining a classical institution under the super- 
vision of the two Lutheran Synods of Virginia," to afford 
better educational facilities for the people of the surround- 



4ngsectIons,and to offer special inducements to pious young 
men for devoting themselves to the Gospel ministry; said 
school to be "conducted in such a manner as that the stu- 
dents would incur as little expense as possible." The re- 
port referred to the school "in operation in the Mount 
Tabor congregation," its encouraging prospects, and 
closed with the recommendation of the establishment of a 
classical institution. This report was adopted, and it was 
" Resolved, That the Synod of Western Virginia and adja- 
cent parts, (now the Synod of Southwestern Virginia) be in- 
vited to participate and co-operate with this Synod in the 
establishment and support of the proposed institution." 

There were two applications for the location of the 
school presented to the Synod at this meeting, one in 
behalf of Churchville, the other in behalf of Mount Tabor. 
After a full discussion of the merits of the two locations, 
and after the claims of each were strongly advocated by 
its respective friends, the Synod decided in favor of 
Mount Tabor. In the minutes of the year 1 844, of said 
Synod, the report of the committee on "The Virginia In- 
stitute" exhibited a highly satisfactory condition of affairs 
with respect to the school, reporting the fact that the 
number of students during the past year was 17, and that 
it had "more than realized the expectations of its warm- 
est friends, and was justly entitled to the fostering care 
of Synod and to Its hearty co-operation." 

In the year 1844, Rev. Bittle was called to take 
charge of the church at Mlddletown, Md., and Rev. 
Baughman was left in sole charge of the institute until the 
year 1846, when J. Edward Herbst, of Gettysburg, Pa., 
a graduate of Pennsylvania College, was called to his as- 
sistance. 

With these humble beginnings Roanoke College, in 
its germinal state, entered on its career. The cheapness 



IB ROANOKE COLLEGE 

of the rates of expense, which was designedly one of its 
leading features, and the general interest it awakened in 
the Synod in which it was located, attracted young men 
from Maryland, the Shenandoah Valley and Southwest 
Virginia. 

It proved an important ''feeder" to Pennsylvania 
College, located at Gettysburg, Pa., from which institu- 
tion Revs. Bittle and Baughman had graduated, and to 
which the students were recommended by them for the 
completion of their education. 

The friends of the institution encouraged by its 
patronage, and confident in the belief that it had a spe- 
cial mission to perform, which could not be performed by 
any existing institution, determined to bring to its aid the 
legal sanctions and authority of an act of incorporation. 
Therefore, on the 30th day of January, 1845, it was in- 
corporated by the Legislature of Virginia under the name 
of ''The Virginia Collegiate Institute." 

The Muse of History would be untrue to her 
trust not to record the names of the Trustees under this 
Charter, names perpetuated in part to this day in the 
Board of Trustees. They were; (Rev.) Jacob Scherer, 
John Groseclose, Michael Miller, (Rev.) Gideon Scherer, 
Paul Sieg, Benjamin F. Mailman, George Shuey, (Rev.) 
David F. Bittle, Jacob Baylor, (Rev.) Christopher C. 
Baughman, Peter Strouse, William Young, James Points, 
George W.Rader,(Rev.) A. R. Rude, Chesley Kinney, Rob- 
ert H. Holland, (Rev.) Samuel Wagner, (Rev.) Peter 
Schickel, (Rev.) Joseph A. Seiss, George W. Swoope, 
(Rev.) John B. Davis, and (Rev.) James A. Brown. Only 
one of these trustees is living, Dr. Joseph A. Seiss, of 
Philadelphia, Pa. — the eminent theologian, the learned 
author, the eloquent preacher. 

The location being inconvenient of access, it was not 




DAVID F. BITTLE, A. M., D. D. 

PRESIDENT, 1853-76. 




THOMAS W. DOSH, D. D, 

PRESIDENT, 1877-78, 



long until the question of removal to a more favorable 
locality began to be agitated. Through the efforts of 
Rev. Gideon Scherer, pastor of the Lutheran Congrega- 
tions in Roanoke county, and other ministers of the 
Southwestern Virginia Synod, the claims of Salem were 
so convincingly presented to the trustees that the choice 
of a location was made in its favor. In June, 1847, the 
Institution was moved to Salem. It could not have 
chosen a home amid more lovely and picturesque scenery 
and in a more healthful climate. Amid these Arcadian 
scenes it was fit to plant the groves of Academus, where 
the learner, sitting at the feet of Science, could 

Converse with nature's charms, and view her stores unroli'd." 

The location was not only '* beautiful for situation," 
but it was in the midst of a people noted for their intel- 
ligence and refinement, as well as for their moral and 
religious character. 

No buildings having been prepared for its reception, 
the first term of the session of 1847-8 was held in the 
old Baptist church on the hill east of town, the site of 
which is now enclosed in East Hill Cemetery. The 
second term of the same session was held in the Presby- 
terian church, located on the site of the present Public 
School building, a portion of which had been used for 
a number of years as an academy. For a short while in 
the spring of 1848 the institution had for its hom.e a small 
building near the present Maury art gallery, on Main 
street. The temporary locations of the Institute upon 
its arrival here present a pleasant commentary on the 
appreciative welcome accorded by the sister denomina- 
tions of the town, and a prophetic index of the cosmo- 
politan character of the institution. 



g2 BOAJSrOKE COLLEGE 

Though primarily established and sustained for the 
advancement of the interests of the Church of the Refor- 
mation, a liberal and catholic spirit has characterized her 
administration, as the loyalty of her sons of every name^ 
and her history in every epoch abundantly testify. 
Through all these years she has drawn her students from 
various religious denominations. Her patronage has 
come from all parts of the United States, and from a 
number of foreign countries. 

At the close of the scholastic year in 1848, it was 
determined by the trustees to provide a permanent home. 

In the spring and summer of that year the central 
part of the main building was erected and was first used 
at the beginning of the next session. It was a plain and 
unimposing structure, consisting of a basement and three 
stories, with none of the graces of modern architecture 
to relieve its severe simplicity. Its homely character 
was consonant with the unaesthetic tastes of those early 
times. It contained sufficient room for a chapel, recita- 
tion rooms and dormitories ; but m a few years, on ac- 
count of the increasing number ol students, it became 
necessary to enlarge its dimensions. 

In the spring of 1849 the first agent was sent out 
to solicit money and secure students. Wm. S. McClan- 
ahan, a student, was appointed to this work. His field 
of operation was chiefly in North Carolina, and the in- 
creased number of students from that State in attend- 
ance the next session attested his success. Later on, 
about the year 1870, his services were again enlisted in 
assisting Dr. Bittle in the financial work. His agency, 
extendino- to the Eastern and Northern cities, was a 
material factor in relieving the stress of the financial 
burden then resting on the College. 

In August, 1 849, the first attempts at laying out the 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 83 

grounds into walks and plats were made, and the first 
trees were planted. 

In the years 1848-9 the first catalogue was pub- 
lished, showing an attendance of 40 students, the most 
of them being from Virginia. There was a steady increase 
from year to year until 185 1-2, when 60 students were 
enrolled, and it is worthy of remark that of this. number 
20 were preparing for the ministry, thus evidencing that 
the school was faithfully subserving one of the chief 
purposes of its creation. The great majority of the 
students who attended the institute were sorely handi- 
capped in their struggle for a collegiate education. But 
they were terribly in earnest. Many of them had, like 
Elisha of old, obeyed the call to leave the plow in the 
field, and to enter this school of the prophets. Of limited 
means, they used every honorable device to make their 
scant funds defray their expenses. They formed mess 
clubs, and thus brought their board bills to the minimum 
of expense. For the double purpose of economy and 
exercise, one circle of eight or ten formed a mess club, 
who occupied a house about one mile east of the town. 
Most of them were candidates for the ministry, and their 
mess was appropriately called "The Brotherhood". 

The late lamented Dr. S. C. Wells was one of this 
little band, and in his reminiscences of the old *Tnsti- 
tute," he delighted to dwell on the incidents connected 
with this College ''fraternity". Only two, Rev. John J. 
Scherer, long President of Marion Female College, Va., 
and Rev. Wm. S. McClanahan, a resident near Salem, in 
this county, remain, to linger yet a little while before they 
join their brethren in the eternal " Brotherhood." 

From the origin of the school until it became a col- 
lege. Rev. C. C. Baughman was the principal. His 
assistants at various times were, besides Rev. Bittle and 



84 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

J. Edward Herbst; Edmund Miller of Roanoke county, 
Va. ; Rev. Simeon Scherer, of North Carolina; S. Carson 
Wells, of Frederick county, Va. ; Rev. Wm. F. Greaver, 
of Augusta county, Va., and Rev. Reuben Hill, of Penn- 
sylvania. 

The building of the west wing, in the year 1851, 
was palpable proof of the widening interest in the college. 

The encouraging increase in the number of students 
prompted the determination on the part of some of its 
friends to enlarge the usefulness of the institution by 
raising it to the standard of a college. This proposed 
change, however, met with serious opposition. It was 
claimed by the latter class that, as a preparatory school 
for colleges and universities it had been a success, and 
that with such buildings as had then been erected, and 
the limited corps of instructors, a large measure of use- 
fulness could be filled and much greater distinction 
achieved while confined to its present sphere, These 
views seemed to be strengthened by the fact that the 
colleges already established in Virginia seemed more than 
sufficient for the amount of patronage, whilst there was 
a most lamentable want of efficient preparatory schools. 
But on the other hand, its rapidly increasing numbers, 
drawn from various sections of this and other states, not 
readily accessible to existing colleges, coupled with the 
earnestly expressed desires of its friends abroad for a 
more extensive course of instruction, and the fact that to 
the greater number of its students the education received 
here would be a finality, determined a majority of the 
board to make application for a college charter. 

It is a noteworthy fact that the initiatory steps in the 
movement for securing a college charter were taken by 
the students themselves. They held a meeting on No- 
vember 25th, 1852, of which Valentine Bolton was chair- 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 85 

man and William S. McClanahan secretary. At this 
meeting a committee, consisting of William S. McClan- 
ahan, Festus Hickerson, and J. I. Miller, were appointed 
a committee, to which the chairman was added, to pre- 
pare a petition to the Board of Trustees requesting it to 
apply for a charter. The meeting was adjourned to De- 
cember 3rd, at which time the students again met and 
adopted the petition prepared by the committee, and 
William S. McClanahan was requested to submit the 
same to Professor Baughman for his approval. It seems 
that Professor Baughman considered the movement inad- 
visable, but upon being assured by the representative of 
the students that unless he acceded to their request none 
of the students then in attendance would return the next 
year, he withdrew his opposition and agreed to submit 
the matter to the Board of Trustees. 

After a decision to have a college, the next thing in 
order was to find a name for it. The matter was can- 
vassed at some length. Various names were suggested, 
among them Wartburg, Madison, and Virginia. At 
length the name of Roanoke was proposed. It was at 
once received favorably and adopted. Whilst it was a 
name locally distinctive, it was linked with the earliest 
historic associations of the " Old Dominion." In later 
times it was crystallized in history by its association with 
that eminent but eccentric statesman, John Randolph of 
Roanoke. It is a name which traces its origin back to 
even pre-historic times, when the Aborigines fashioned 
their "shell money," which the word signifies, on the 
banks of the beautiful stream which winds through our 
valley. 

May ''Old Roanoke" as she spans the semi-centu- 
ries continue to sing in unison with the chattering stream 
the prophetic refrain : 



86 ROAKOKE COLLEGE 

"For men may come and men may go, but I go on forever." 

The act of incorporation was passed March 14th, 
1853, and the "Virginia Collegiate Institute" became 
" Roanoke College." The trustees named in the charter 
act were (Dr.) John H. Griffin, (Rev.) C. C. Baughman, 
John P. Kizer, (Rev.) A. R. Rude, (Rev.) Elijah Haw- 
kins, (Rev.) A. P. Ludden, George Shuey, Benjamin F. 
Hailman, Jacob Baylor, John Grosclose, Michael Miller, 
George W. Rader, Abraham Hupp, John B. I. Logan, 
Nathaniel Burwell and George P. Tayloe. All of these 
original trustees are dead, the last survivor being Rev. 
James A. Brown, of Wythe county, Va. 

Great joy was manifested at the college and in the 
town when the news of the passage of the bill was re- 
ceived. The students gave expression to their enthu- 
siasm by illuminating the building. The blaze of light 
issuing from its windows was a most fitting recognition 
and emblem of its mission as a college. 

In the spring of 1853 Mr. Baughman was called to 
the principalship of Hagerstown Female Seminary, and 
severed his connection with the institution at Salem. 

The first meeting of the Board of Trustees of the 
college was held in April, 1853, and was organized by 
the election of Nathaniel Burwell, President ; S. Carson 
Wells, Secretary, and John P. Kizer, Treasurer. At this 
meeting a faculty was formed by the election of the Rev. 
David F. Bittle, A. M., as President and Professor of 
Moral and Intellectual Science ; S. Carson Wells as 
Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy ; and 
Henri G. Von Hoxar as Professor of Ancient and 
Modern Languages and Literature. This faculty entered 
upon its duties at the beginning of the session of 1853-4. 

The outlook for the young aspirant for public favor 
was not of the most hopeful kind. 



^JWl.*""^*'"' 



"■'"""'»r*w'«»"s*,t„„ 



^^^^ 



r*; . '' 




S. CARSON WELLS, A. M , PFL D. 

PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AND ASTRONOMY, 1853-1900. 




WILLIAM B. YONCF:, A. M., PH. D. 

PROFESSOR OF ANCIENT LANGUAGES, 1859 1895. 



It started out -with a debt incurred in the purchase 
t)f the grounds, and in the erection of buildings, and 
although "friends, never to be forgotten," extended aid, 
still it can be safely said that Fortune did not empty her 
cornucopia over its cradle, nor "the Roanoke as another 
Pactolus stand ready to convert its ventures into gold." 
With a patronage chiefly local, with limited equipments 
in library and apparatus, with a small corps of instruc- 
tors, with a formidable competition by other institutions 
possessing the prestige of age and established reputa- 
tion, and without adequate buildings, the situation would 
have daunted a less resolute spirit than that of its ener- 
getic and hopeful President. But he was a man who 
yielded not to difficulties. " Like a star, unhasting, un- 
resting," he worked, "fulfilling his God-given behest." 
To use his own homely and expressive language, made 
in a remark, soon after his entrance on his duties, to one 
of his co-laborer^, he had "laid himself out for work for 
Roanoke College," and faithfully did he fulfill his purpose 
to the end. 

"For twenty-three years he served the college with 
an absorption and devotion to its interests that knew no 
limit. It was the child of his love and of his prayers, 
and over it those prayers will ever rest as a benison. 
Wherever the story of Roanoke will be told — its estab- 
lishment, its early trials and success — the name of David 
F. Bittle will be reverently and lovingly mentioned." 

From the outset, the college authorities gave no 
uncertain sound as to the importance of the study of 
Bible truths in a collegiate course. They emphasized 
the harmony of divine revelation with the sciences, and 
the truth that the study of both is essential to a complete 
education. 

Dr. Bittle, in his inaugural address, used the follow- 



90 ROANOKE GOLZEGE 

ing larrg-ua^e : ''Those colleges and universities which 
not only send forth young men qualified to enter the 
learned professions, but many who are consistent mem- 
bers of the church, well grounded in the evidences of 
Christianity, the doctrinal and practical precepts of the 
Bible, and whose hearts are regenerated by the Holy 
Ghost, are the schools that alone have the approbation 
of God, and can look to heaven for ultimate and perma- 
nent prosperity." 

The first session of the College opened September 
Tst, 1853. 

The catalogue of this session is a modest one of 
fourteen pages. It lays out a caurse of study, singularly 
full for the number of professors, and is modestly self-as- 
sertive in its tone. It speaks of the library as containing 
valuable literary, religious and scientific works, its value 
having reference rather to quality than to quantity. It 
shows an enrollment af 58 students, a marked decrease 
as compared with the previous session, but the lost 
ground was more than gained the next session, (1854-5) 
the number running up to eighty. 

There were two literary societies, Ciceronian and 
Demosthenean, which still exist in a prosperous condition, 
and are most valuable auxiliaries to the College. 

These societies had been organized when the Col- 
lecre was still an Institute and were the out^-rowth of the 
Philomathean Society which had its origin when the In- 
stitute was located in Augusta county. The members 
of the parent society, seeing the importance and necessity 
of rivalry, resolved to form two societies. The enroll- 
ment of the students in the separate organizations was 
made by a very simple process. Two of the members, 
Henry Anderson and John J. Scherer was chosen to make 
the division, each one selecting alternately. Mr Ander- 



son and his followers chose the name of "Ciceronian'^ 
for their society and the other section readily and oppo- 
sitely adopted the name of " Demosthenean." Some of 
the most ddightful recollections of the survivors of these 
earlier years of the College, are associated with the An- 
nual Contest in Essay, Oratory and Debate held by these 
societies, on the 22nd of February. These contests fos- 
tered an intense spirit of partizanship which is, perhaps, 
•foreign to the societies at the present day. The literary 
battles fought every year excited an interest, in town and 
community, which it is now difficult to realize. Each so- 
ciety had its friends and sympathizers, who were the 
self-constituted judges of the merits of the perform- 
ances. Of course they always decided according to their 
predilections. These intellectual tournaments elicited 
scarcely less Interest than the commencement exercises 
themselves. No knight of chivalry couching his lance in 
the lists felt prouder than the champions in these arenas. 
Each society had its distinctive badge of ribbon, fashioned 
by the fair hands of Salem's lovely daughters — the Dem- 
osthenean, its blue rosette; the Ciceronian, its bow-knot 
of red, white, and blue. Some of us remember the excite- 
ment of those halcyon days — the societies marching down 
College street, their ribbons fluttering in the breeze — the 
gathering crowds from far and near thronging the streets^ 
Some time after the war, on account of "strained 
relations," occasioned by a supposed breach of diplo- 
matic etiquette, the literary contests between the Socie- 
ties were abandoned, and thereafter each Society has 
held an annual celebration — the Ciceronian on the 22nd 
of February, the anniversary of the birthday of George 
Washington ; and the Demosthenean, on the 1 9th of 
January, the anniversary of the birthday of Robert E. 
Lee. 



gS" TtOANOKE COLLEGE' 

At this time the grounds and buildings were worth 
about ($10,000), withlrabilitiesof abaut ($8,000.00) resting 
upon them. Dr. Bittle entered at once upon vigorous efforts 
to raise funds to pay the debt and to secure additional 
facilities in buildings, books, apparatus and otherwise. 
As soon as the debt of ($8,000.00) was paid, it was de- 
termined to add a wing to the east ^nd of the main build- 
ing. Accordingly, on the first of September, 1854, the 
corner stone of the wing was laid, with impressive cere- 
monies, an address of great eloquence and power being 
deiivered by Dr. Joseph A. Seiss, af Philadelphia. 

In the fall of 1854, Rev. Daniel H. Bittle, brother of 
President Bittle, w^as called to a nominal professorship in 
the College with the title of Professor of Belles Letters. 

In November, 1854, Rev. Wm. B. Yonce, a gradu- 
ate of Wittenberg College, Ohio, was elected tutor, and 
became Principal of the Preparatory Department, after- 
wards organized. 

In March, 1855, Professor Von Hoxar resigned, and 
D. Sprecher, of Maryland, was appointed to the chair of 
Ancient Languages for the remainder of the session. At 
the annual meeting of the Board, July ist, 1855, Don P. 
Halsey was elected Professor of Ancient Languages and 
Literature, and the Faculty, under discretionary power 
given them, appointed William Christian to give instruc- 
tion in Modern Languages. 

Lacking as the College was in facilities, it was fortu- 
nate in possessing, even at this early date, one of the 
most valuable cabinet of minerals in the State. It was 
composed of more than 4,000 rare specimens collected in 
all parts of the world. It comprises a great part of the 
present collection. 

In the spring of 1855, ^^ campus was still further 
beautified by the planting of native forest trees, which 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 93 

with their beautiful foliage and dense shade, have become 
such a source of attraction and delight to students and 
visitors. These trees were brought by the students from 
the mountains and water courses, and planted by their 
own hands under the supervision of Dr. Bittle, thus in- 
vesting them with a peculiar personal interest, "growing 
with their growth and strengthening with their strength." 
One day, w^hich was called Campus Day, was set apart in 
the early spring of each year for this purpose. 

An arrangement was made in 1855, between the 
President and his brother, whereby the former w^as to 
teach the latter' s classes, and Professor D. H. Bittle, was 
to canvass for funds and students. He traveled over 
the Valley of \'irginia, and secured funds to complete the 
the east wing which had been begun in the Spring of that 
year. While in the midst of his most energetic plans for 
the winter, after lecturing and preaching in various towns, 
and with engagements for months in advance, he was 
suddenly called to Salem. Some irreconcilable views as 
to discipline having arisen among the Professors, the re- 
sult was a rebellion among the students. Great excite- 
ment prevailed. Professor Bittle returned in time to 
meet the Board of Trustees, and by his calm, dispassion- 
ate way of managing difficulties, succeeded in restoring 
order, and bringing about a satisfactory adjustment. 

The Board requested Professor D. H. Bittle to re- 
linquish his agency and accept the Chair of Ancient Lan- 
guages, made vacant by the retiring of Professor Don P. 
Halsey from the Faculty. No other efficient agent 
could be obtained and his withdrawal from the financial 
work seriously impeded the carrying out of his proposed 
plans. However, the two brothers were always busy 
during vacation presenting the claims of the College. 

In the year 1857 the "Miller Hall," consisting of a 



94 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

basement and two stories, "was erected on the west side 
of the main building. The two lower stones were used 
for recitation rooms, and the third was devoted to the 
use of the Ciceronian Society. 

In 1858, Prof. D. H. Bittle was called to the Presi- 
dency of North Carolina College, and upon the advice of 
his brother, accepted the position. His interest in Roa- 
noke College continued unabated until his death which 
occured in 1875. 

At the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees in 

June, 1856, the Department of Natural Science was es- 
tablished, and in March following Rev. H. S. Osborn was 

elected to fill it. From him a portion of the library and 
apparatus was purchased. 

He was a man of varied learning but of eccentric 
tastes and habits. He had traveled extensively in Europe, 
and in the East, and he afterwards published the result 
of his researches in Palestine, in an illustrated work en- 
titled "Palestine, Past and Present." 

Arthur Grabowski, a native of Poland, was appointed 

during the same year to give instruction in Modern Lan- 
guages. He also rendered much service in the College 
in general work. Having received a military training in 
his native country, he organized and commanded a mili- 
tary company among the students, called the "Roanoke 
College Musketeer Guard." Like the war-horse in Job, 
he must have scented the battle from afar, for in a few 
years this company commanded by Prof. George W. Hol- 
land, was repeatedly called out to repel the invader, al- 
though it never actually met him face to face. 

In 1859, after the resignation of Dr. D. H. Bittle, 
Professor Yonce was elected to succeed him, and Rev. 
John G. Frey was made Principal of the Preparatory De- 
partment. During the same year Rev. D. P. Cammann, 
a native of Germany, and a most accomplished scholar, 



\ 




\ 



"^: 



LUTHER A. FOX, A. M., D. D. 

PROFESSOR OF MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL PHILOSOPHY AXD HISTORY, 1882 




F. V. N. Painter, a. m . d. d. 

PROFESSOR OF MODERX LANGUAGES, 1878 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 97 

was appointed Professor of Modern Languages and He- 
brew. He was connected with the College until 1866. 

The number of students steadily increased, and the 
territory from which they were drawn continued to em- 
brace a more extended range, until the memorable year 
of 1 86 1, when the catalogue showed an attendance of 1 18. 

Towards the close of the session, the tocsin of war 
was sounding its shrill notes through the land and the 
gathering of armies was seen on every hand. The stu- 
dents of military age caught the contagion, and laying 
down their text books, entered their names on the ma- 
triculation rolls of a sterner school. The majority con- 
nected themselves with the volunteer companies then be- 
ing organized in Salem. A few of these returned in after 
years, covered with honorable scars, to resume their stud- 
ies, others, alas! are sleeping "the sleep that knows not 
breaking," in honored soldiers' graves. 

On June the 4th, 1861, the Colleges halls were de- 
serted, but in September, those members of the Faculty, 
who had not entered the army, determined to throw open 
the doors of the College to young men not old enough for 
service, who might desire to avail themselves of its bene- 
fits. The College therefore entered upon a unique ca- 
reer, continuing its sessions throughout the war. 

From her solitary tower, the only one in the State, 
her light, dimmed indeed, but like the Vestal fire, ever 
burning, attracted many youths from all sections of the 
State. The course of study was necessarily of a prepar- 
atory character, there being no regular curriculum, and 
consequently no awarding of degrees. 

The presence of a number of bronzed, bearded and 
maimed heroes returned from the war lent a melancholy 
feature to the material of the student body. 

The Instructors during the war period were Dr. Bittle, 



98 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

Prof. Cammann, and Prof. George W. Holland. In addi- 
tion to these, Wm. McCauley and Robert C. Holland, 
being temporarily retired from the army, by reason of 
wounds received in the service, were engaged as teachers, 
the former during the session of 1863-4, and the latter, 
for a part of the session of 1864-5. None of the instruc- 
tors had regular departments assigned to them, but each 
taughc classes ranging through all the grades of study. 

To enlarge the College's sphere of usefulness, the 
Faculty admitted, during the session of 1861-62, a num- 
ber of young ladies of the town into the Institution, how- 
ever, in classes separate from those of the young men. 
This arrangement continued for two sessions. The pre- 
cedent thus set has of later years been followed on a 
lager scale in a modified, though not stricdy co-educa- 
tional, form. 

Early in the war Dr. Bittle went to Richmond, and 
obtained permission from the Secretary of War of the 
Confederate States to have young men who, during 
the session, reached the age of 18 years, which was 
the age required for military service, to remain at College 
until the close of the session. The Secretary of War 
granted this favor but upon condition that all students of 
sixteen years and upwards, should have guns, furnished 
by the government, and pass through a regular military 
drill once a week: and that whenever Roanoke county, 
or adjacent sections were threatened with raids, this com- 
pany of Roanoke College boys was to leave the Institu- 
tion and assist in repelling the enemy. 

A company was accordingly formed and placed un- 
der the command of Professor George W. Holland, as 
its captain, who had lost an arm while in the service. 
This company was several times called out, but was never 
in an engagement. 



Bmil-CEIsrTElSrNiAL ' 99 

During the greater part of this trying period Dr. 
Bittle acted in the three-fold capacity of College Presi- 
dent, steward of the boarding house, and pastor of Col- 
lege Church and several congregations in the country. 

Dr. Yonce was the Treasurer of the Faculty, and he 
had his peculiar difficulties in the management of the 
College finances. The perplexities that he had to en- 
counter are hard to conceive in these days of specialties 
and division of labor. But so devoted were the students, 
that they were ready in any emergency to lend a helping 
hand, no matter what might be the character of the ser- 
vice required. On one occasion a heavy gale of wind 
carried off a portion of the roof of one of the halls, and 
with it the tops of several chimneys. No mechanics were 
at home to repair the damage, and material was hard to 
procure. Dr. Yonce heard of some plank in the country, 
which he secured, and with the aid of the students suc- 
ceeded in saving the building from further damage from 
the rains that followed. 

About the beginning of April, 1865, the county was 
about exhausted of provisions, and the last flour and meal 
in the College steward's larder had been consumed. Pro- 
fessor Yonce proposed to furnish the funds if Dr. Bittle 
would allow his team to go to Franklin for supplies. The 
road to be travelled was infested by deserters and out- 
laws. Dr. Bittle himself went with the team, and re- 
turned safe with supplies enough to meet the present 
emergency. 

It was said in those times that the badge of Dr. Bit- 
tle was a basket, whilst that of Dr. Yonce, the Treasurer 
of the Faculty, was a roll of Confederate notes. 

After the surrender of the army, there was a most 
confused and perplexing state of affairs; Confederate 
money was useless; the students had no means of paying 



lOCF ROANOKE COLLEGE 

their board, and it was necessary, under the circanj- 
stances, to suspend the College exercises. Permission 
was given all students who- could get home, to leave Col- 
lege. Dr. Bittle had rented some land and prepared it for 
planting a crop of corn; som?e colored men- had been en- 
gaged to do the work, but being free, had "laid down 
the shovel and the hoe '' before the corn was planted. 
As many of the College boys could not <g^X. home, they 
proposed to plant the Doctor's corn for him, and Dr. 
Yonce, ta run the furrows, far he said "he had laid off 
corn land before.'^ The day was appointed. Dr. Bittle 
and students, with basket and hoe, and Dr. Yonce with 
a plow, went to work, and by sun-down the corn was in 
the ground. 

We have dwelt with some minuteness on the priva- 
tions endured and shifts resorted ta, during these years^ 
in evidence of the energy, determination and sacrifices 
required ta carry the College through this trying period. 
They reveal noble traits of character and devotion to the 
College brought out in bold relief by the surrounding 
shadows. 

These pictures of heroic struggle against difficulty, 
during the war, are not without their serio-comic inci- 
dents. 

There were several forays of the enemy into this 
valley. Added to the extraordinary difficulties incident 
to conducting the College through the war period, there 
were the ever-present anxiety and dread concerning the 
safety of the College buildings. We can imagine the 
burden, caused thereby, resting on the minds and hearts 
of Dr. Bittle and his associates. The alarming cry of — 
"The Yankees are coming" — had a terror-inspiring sig- 
nificance to them, doubly so, on account of the jeopardy 
of their homes and the College buildings. 



On one of these occasions the humorous side of Dr, 
BIttle's character appeared. He was appointed one of 
a Committee of citizens to surrender the town. The 
officer in command assured them of the safety of the 
town and college, and called a soldier from the ranks 
(who, it seems, had been a student of Jefferson College, 
Penna.,) to go with the Doctor and guard the college. As 
they passed along the street, the soldier on his horse and 
the Doctor on foot, they passed some ladies on a porch — 
the men had all disappeared like the ''baseless fabric of 
a dream." The Doctor remarked to the ladies, "See, 
ladies, I have taken one prisoner." The ladies did not 
laugh ; they did not wish to doubt the Doctors word, 
but from appearances the reverse of his remark seemed 
to be the truth. 

General Averill made his noted raid on the town of 
Salem on the i6th day of December, 1863, arriving 
about II o'clock in the day. His command, afterburning 
the buildings containing the army stores, but not molest- 
ing any others, retired in the evening, with a number of 
prisoners, comprising citizens and students, and en- 
camped in Mason's Cove. 

On the next morninpf he released all not connected 
with the Confederate service. He paid his respects thus 
to the students : Calling them before him, he asked 
each one where he was from. All answered with some 
trepidation. "Now," said he, "boys, tell me candidly, 
what do you think of the Confederacy?" The boys by 
this time, recovering from their fear, and reassured by 
the pleasant mood of the General, answered promptly, 
"We think it is doing very well." " Oh, now, boys, you 
know it is about played out!" He continued : "You 
all go back to your books, and study your best." And 
then he gave the command to release them. He was 



102 HOAMOKE COLLEGM 

doubtless glad to be freed from the ''impedimenta"^ of stu- 
dent prisoners, for his bold venture was attended with 
great difficulties from beginning to end. He is said to 
have thus concisely reported his travels : " My command 
has marchedy climbed, slid, and swam 350 miles since the 
8th inst." 

The college authorities had to face other troubles 
than those which came from hostile raids and depleted 
resources. 

In the spring of 1863 tw^o Confederate army officers 
called on Dr. Bittle and asked him to show them the 
rooms of the college. The inspection having been made, 
he was informed that they were looking for a place to 
establish a hospital. Here was a difficulty to be met ; 
a hundred boys, faculty and all, to be turned out by mili- 
tary authority. Dr. Bittle went at once to Richmond to 
see the authorities, and have it prevented. Through the 
Hon. Waller R. Staples, the Congressman from this dis- 
trict, who introduced him to the Surgeon General, he soon 
had the measure revoked. The Surgeon General said : 
"By no means would I permit a college to be broken up 
for such a purpose. If we succeed in establishing the 
Confederacy we want intelligent men to control it, and 
if there is any locality in which a college can exist in 
these times, it must be protected." 

There is a quaint pathos in the following extract 
from Dr. Bittle' s report to the first meeting of the Board 
of Trustees after the close of the war: 'T had ^1,000 
Confederate money on hand, which the creditors of the 
institution refused to take when the Confederacy termi- 
nated. I came to the depot, satchel in hand, on my way 
to Richmond to buy books for the college library, and 
when there heard of the fall of Richmond. This money 
perished on my hands." 




WILLIAM A. SMITH, A. M. 

PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS, 1890 




WYTHE F. M0REHP:AD, A. M. 

PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH, 1891 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 105 

A friend who knew the Doctor's mania for purchasing 
books for the college, remarked that he did not know 
which troubled him more, the loss of the Confederacy or 
the loss of the books. 

After the distracting and unsettled condition of the 
war, the college entered upon the session of 1865-66 
with most encouraging prospects. The motto heading 
the programme of the annual contest for this year well 
expresses the hopeful spirit and aims of the institution — 
'' Paulatim ex ridnis belli resurgarn!' 

The catalogue of this session shows a total enroll- 
ment of 145 students — a large increase over the attend- 
ance during the years before the war. It indicates the wise 
purpose of our people to educate the young men for the 
useful arts of peace as one of the best remedial agents 
for repairing the desolations wrought by the war. Of 
this large number comparatively few were in the higher 
classes ; there was only one graduate, S. A. Repass, 
who, at the beginning of this session, had taken up the 
thread of his studies, so rudely severed when he left the 
college in 1861 for the army. 

This catalogue appeals to the patrons and friends of 
the college to make it the object of their beneficence, 
and as an incentive gives a list of donations at sundry 
times by citizens of Roanoke county, as follows : 

Michael Miller, $1,000. 

John Trout, $1,000. 

A. E. Huff, $1,000. 

Jacob C. Miller, $1,000. 

George H. Miller, $1,000. 

Jacob Persinger, $1,000. 

Samuel Hubbard, $1,000. 

Miss Sarah A. Miller, $1,000. 

Lutheran Congregation at Madison Court House, 
Va., $1,000. 



1C6 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

The two Society Halls bear the names of the first 
two above mentioned contributors. Finely executed oil 
portraits of these early friends and patrons of the college 
hang upon the walls of the Society rooms. 

The faculty at this time consisted, in addition to Dr. 
Bittle and Profs. Wells and Yonce, of Rev. George W. 
Holland, Assistant Professor of Languages and Principal 
of the Preparatory Department, and Rev. D. P. Cammann, 
Professor of Modern Languages and Hebrew. The 
Chair of Agriculture and Mining was established this 
year and the Rev. John B. Davis was appointed as its 
Professor. In 1872 his Chair was changed to that of 
Natural Science, and this position he held until 1876, 
when he was called to the Presidency of North Carolina 
College. 

Dr. Davis was a devoted student of Nature, and an 
enthusiastic scientist. He delivered a number of scien- 
tific addresses, one of which on the ''Crystal Kingdom," 
was pronounced by competent judges to have been "in 
all respects, in treatment, in illustration, and in clearness 
and beauty of style a masterpiece of scientific discus- 
sion." He had prepared for pubHcation a number of 
remarkably able papers on scientific subjects, through all 
of which ran the dominating thought of the harmony of 
Nature and Revelation. 

In 1867 the building accommodations were still 
further enlarged by the erection of ''Trout Hall" on the 
east side of the main building. The lower story forms 
the Chapel, the second is devoted mainly to the " Busi- 
ness Department," and the third story constitutes the 
Hall of the Demosthenean Society. 

In 1867-8 a department called the " Boys' School " 
was established. It was intended to supply a need occa- 
sioned by the irregularity and imperfection of primary 



SE3I1-CjENTENNIAL 107 

education in the schools. Luther R. Holland, a graduate 
of the class of 1859, was called to the head of this de- 
partment. He had for a number of years held the 
position of Secretary to the Superintendent of Public 
Instruction in this State. 

At this session Rev. John G. Frey, a graduate of the 
class of 1856, entered upon the professorship of Modern 
Languages, and continued actively engaged in the duties 
of the same up to the day of his death, December 4, 1872. 

In 1871-2 Julius D. Dreher, a graduate of the class 
of 1 87 1, became connected with the faculty, as Adjunct- 
Professor of Greek, and for several subsequent years as 
Professor of English Literature. He also held the posi- 
tion of Financial Secretary, to the duties of which he 
brought the characteristic zeal and executive ability which 
has distinguished his subsequent career, and by which he 
placed the college on a firm financial basis. 

In 1873 Thomas C. Bittle, a son of President Bittle, 
and a graduate of the class of 1858, became Professor 
of Modern and Oriental Lanoruaofes. His term of service 
ended with the close of the session 1887-8, by his resig- 
nation and removal to Texas to resume educational work 
in which he had been engaged prior to his call to Roanoke. 

At this session John T. Crabtree, a graduate of 1872, 
became instructor in Ancient Languages, and was after- 
wards Assistant Professor in Ancient Languages until 
his resignation in 1890. 

On the 25th day of September, 1876, agreat sorrow 
fell upon the institution. About 10 o'clock in the even- 
ing of that day, Dr. Bittle was suddenly called away from 
his earthly labors. The summons came to him as he sat 
in the meeting of a committee held in the faculty room 
of the College, in the interests of the educational work of 
the Church Synod to which he belonged. But a brief half 



108 ROAKOKE COLLEGE 

hour before, he had opened the meeting with a prayer 
marked by his usual fervency, in which he gave expression 
to the need that ever lay nearest his heart. \X was the 
plea that the Lord of the harvest would send more labor- 
ers into His field. 

"We need not dwell on the scenes that followed; 

sad and fresh thro' the changeful years that have since 
winged their way. We need not speak of the shock felt 
by the college community in its every fibre ; of footsteps 
hurrying to the place from the homes of Salem ; of the 
crowds from town and country that called to look upon 
his remains as they lay in the College Chapel awaiting 
burial, of the recognition in every other form of the one 
great startling fact, felt in the consciousness of all, that 
one largely concerned in the common-weal, as to its ma- 
terial, its intellectual and moral interests, had passed 
away." 

The loss to the College seemed irreparable, but there 

was solace in the thought: "The workman dies but the 
work goes on." 

Dr. Bittle, in a letter written to Dr. J. D. Dreher, 

the financial Secretary, just before his death, and perhaps 
the last words he wrote, uses the following language : 
"God bless you in your undertaking ; begin with faith in 
the Lord, and if things do not go right, let not your faith 
falter." These dying words, as it were, of this man of 
faith, struck the key-note of his whole life. The founder 
of the College had laid a secure and enduring foundation, 
cemented by his prayers and work. 

In the providence of God, he was not permitted to 
see the full realization of his fondest hopes. He entered, 
as it were, but the threshold of the land of promise, and 
from his Pisgah heights he could only see in dim per- 
spective the future of his beloved institution. Thence- 
forth the duty was laid on his co-laborers and successors 



to ^'go m and possess the land," never forgetting his 
prayers of faith, his example of patient toil, heroic self- 
sacrifice, and consecrated zeal for his Lord and Master, 

Rev. T. W. Dosh, D. D., was elected to the Presi- 
dency of the College in 1877, and was formally inducted 
into office on the Commencement occasion in that year. 
He resigned the next year to accept a professorship in 
the Lutheran Theological Seminary, then located at Salem.. 

The Board of Trustees, in casting around for their 
next President, fixed their choice on Prof Julius D. Dre- 
her, of the Faculty, who had already, by his energetic 
and well-directed efforts, as Financial Secretary, secured 
many friends and generous benefactions for the College. 
Its subsequent history has justified the wisdom of their 
selection. 

Dr. Krauth, in his congratulatory address on Prof. 
Dreher's inauguration, voiced the general sentiment as 
to this action of the Board, when he said they had " chosen 
one worthy of the Hne of precedents — a man who breathes 
the sam.e spirit, who is strong in the same principles, full 
of enlightened earnestness for the same great v/ork." 

At the beginning of the session 1878-9, President 
Dreher entered upon his duties, and by his wise ad- 
ministration of his office, supported by a faculty of more 
than usual ability, he has raised the standard of scholar- 
ship, brought to its financial support a large number of 
liberal-minded and generous-handed friends of educa- 
tion, and greatly enlarged the influence of the College. 
Having caught the emblems of authority so soon after 
they fell from the dying hand of the Founder of the 
College, and having steadily, for a quarter of a century, 
carried forward his aims and plans, the successes and 
triumphs of the living have been of themselves constant 
tributes to the memory of the dead. 



Amorig the abiding memorials of Dr. Dreher's un^ 
tirin'g energy and devotion to the College, are the erec- 
tion of the ''Bktle Memorial Hall," the accumulation of 
a considerable endowment fund, the freedom of the Col- 
lege from a large indebtedness, a notable improvement 
of the teaching equipments, and the remodeling of the 
buildings. 

As more than three-fifths of the graduates have re- 
ceived their diplomas from his hands, he sustains a pecul- 
iar relation to a large body af the representatives of the 
College, who have gone out to all parts of the world. 

At the session of 1878-9, Rev. Robert C. Holland^ 
a graduate of the class of i860, became Professor of 
Moral and Intellectual Philosophy, and Rev. F. V. N. 
Painter, who graduated in 1874, instructor in French, 
Professor Painter was called to the Chair of Modern Lan- 
guages in 1880, which he has filled to the present time. 

The Board of Trustees, realizing the necessity of 
securing the valuable library against loss by fire, deter- 
mined to erect a brick building for its safety, and make 
it a memorial of President Bittle. On the 13th of June, 
1878, Commencement Day, the corner-stone of "Bittle 
Memorial Hall" was laid with appropriate ceremonies. 
Addresses were made by Lieutenant Governor James A. 
Walker and Samuel Grififin, Esq., of Virginia. The 
quarto-centennial anniversary of the college was appro- 
priately celebrated during this commencement season. 

On the 1 7th of October, 1879, Bittle Memorial Hall 
was formally opened. On this occasion an address on 
the life-work of Dr. Bittle was delivered by Dr. Wells, 
and an address on the ''Library" by Charles P. Krauth, 
D. D., L. L. D., Vice- Provost of the University of Penn- 
sylvania. This hall was built by voluntary contributions, 
secured from friends at home and abroad, through the 




HENRY T. HILDRETH, PH. D. 

PROFESSOR OF ANCIENT LANGUAGES, lS9r> 




CHARLES B. CANNADAY, A. M. 

ASSISTANT PKOFESSOli OF LATIN, 1900 



solicitations of Professor J, D. Dfeher, acting in behalf 
of the college. 

In connection with the opening exercises, was the 
inauguration of President Dreher. A congratulatory 
address was made by Dr. Krauth, and the address of 
induction by John J. Moorman, M. D,, of the Board of 

Trustees, followed by the inaugural address ol the Pres- 
ident. 

In the year 1881 Rev. Robert C. Holland, having re- 
signed the Professorship of Moral and Intellectual Philos- 
ophy to re-enter upon the active duties of the gospel 
ministry, Rev, Luther A. Fox, D. D., a graduate of the 
class of 1868, was elected to the chair, which he has 
filled ever since, with exceptional efficiency. 

In 1 890-1 William A. Smith, who graduated in the 
class of 1885, became Professor of Chemistry and 
Physics, he having taught these and collateral branches 
since 1885. 

In 1 89 1-2 Wythe F. Morehead, a graduate of the 
class of 1884, became Professor of English Language 
and Literature, he having served as Assistant Professor 
in this department since i888,and Instructor in Languages 

from 1885 to 1888. 

In 1890-01 Leonidas McReynolds was elected instruc- 
tor in the Commercial Department, which had been created 
to meet the w^ants of young men who wished to prepare 
themselves for business pursuits, in connection with the 
prosecution of their literary studies. 

On March 22, 1895, the college sustained another 
great loss in the death of Dr. William B. Yonce, so long 
the Professor of Ancient Languages and Literature. The 
messenger of death, as in the case of Dr. Bittle, came 
to him suddenly, shortly after he had taken his seat at an 
evening service of his church, at which he was a regular 
and devout worshipper. 



IF4 EOAKOKE COLLEGE 

It IS a natewarthy fact in the history of Roanoke 
Cdlege, that three members of the faculty, after working^ 
all day, passed away at night. Professor Frey taught a 
class at home during the last recitatio-n hour of the day^ 
and at night his spirit took its flight from its frail earthly 
tenement. Dr. Bittle, after a day of active service, sud- 
denly went up higher, in the night season. And so Dr. 
Yohce, in like manner, passed away — all " faithful unto 
death.'' 

In 1895-6 Henry T. Hildreth, a graduate of Harvard 
University, with the degrees of A. B. and Ph. D., was 
called to the Chair of Ancient Languages and Literature. 

In the same year Charles B. Cannaday, a graduate 
of the class of 1892, became Assistant Professor of Latin, 
which position he occupies at this time. 

In 1897-8 John N. Ambler, a graduate of Hampden- 
Sidney College, became instructor in Mathematics and 
Ancient Languages, afterwards Assistant Professor of 
Mathematics, and upon the death of Dr. Wells, in 1900, 
acting Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy. 

Again, the college was called upon to mourn the 
death of another member of the faculty — Dr. Wells, who 
died Dec. 7, 1900. He was the last survivor of the three 
who started the college on its career, and had stood by 
it through all its vicissitudes. They were men of marked 
personalities. Their unselfish devotion to the college in 
its darkest hours was heroic — almost sublime. Their 
commanding abilities merited a larger sphere of labor 
and influence. Their highest reward was the conscious- 
ness of duty well done, and the impress of their faithful 
teaching and example on the hundreds of young men 
that went out from the institution. 

The college has a library of 22,000 volumes, which 
is one of the best in the South. It contains many rare 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 1 1 5 

works, some of them being from 100 to 200 years old, 
the oldest, a Latin Bible, printed on vellum, in 1470. 
This library is contained in Bittle Memorial Hall. The 
annex, built to this hall in 1894, furnishes a commodious 
and attractive reading room, which is much used by the 
students. The mineralogical and geological collections, 
contain more than 12,000 specimens, many of which are 
rare and valuable. 

Roanoke has a moderate endowment fund, but not 
sufficient without the aid of annual contributions to sup- 
port the faculty. Fifteen bequests have been left to the 
college, eight in Virginia, six in New England, and one in 
Philadelphia. The largest bequest for endowment was 
that of Henry J. Steere, of Providence, R. I., — ^25,000, 
and the next in amount, that of Col. Green B. Board, of 
Salem, President of the Board of Trustees — $10,000. 

In November, 1898, Edwin Austin, of Boston, left 
the college, by his will, $30,000, the income to be used 
to aid needy and meritorous students and teachers in 
pursuing their studies. With the income on the $26,000, 
realized in this bequest, after paying inheritance taxes, 
the trustees have established twenty-two free scholar- 
ships. Other generous gifts and bequests, besides those 
mentioned, have been made for the general support of 
the college, and a large number of friends interested in 
its welfare have for many years made annual contribu- 
tions. 

Roanoke not only requires a high standard for grad- 
uation, but also for the qualifications of the professors. 
Six of the younger professors have taken post-graduate 
studies in the best American and European Universities; 
all are men of fine scholarly attainments and will rank 
favorably with the best teachers in the foremost colleges 
in this country. Some of the older members of the Fac- 



116 ROAKOKE COLLEGE 

ulty have prepared valuable text books which have been 
adopted by many high schools, colleges and universities. 

In the past ten years, young men have been enrol- 
led from twenty-five states and territories, and from 
Mexico, Nova Scotia, Cuba, Porto Rico, Jamaica, Eng- 
land, Japan, and Korea. 

In June 1898, the first Korean to take the degree 
of Bachelor of Arts, in the world, was graduated from 
Roanoke, Kiu Beung Surh, of Seoul, Korea, who took 
the degree of A. M., at Princeton University in 1899. 
For twenty-five years the Choctaw Indians sent stud- 
ents to Roanoke, several of whom graduated. Indians of 
other tribes have also been enrolled. The College has 
attracted a number of disitnguished foreign visitors, Jap- 
anese, Chinese and Korean officials having attended on 
commencement occasions. 

The total number of graduates up to this date is 520, 
of which 458 are living. The high standing and success 
of its graduates in universities and professional schools 
attest the excellent training given by the college. Many 
have attained to honorable distinction in the learned pro- 
fessions, and in the various walks of civil life. To quote 
from a historical address delivered by Dr. Wells on a 
former anniversary occasion : *'A large number of these 
are college presidents, and professors in colleges, in semi- 
naries for young women,in academies and high schools and 
schools of other grades. Many have entered the Chris- 
tian ministry, and are honored workers in the different 
churches. Many have entered the professions of law, 
medicine and journalism. Others are bankers, civil en- 
gineers, men of affairs, and successful farmers. The 
College through others has had representatives on the 
benches of the county, state, and Federal judiciaries-r- 
in the state and national legislative bodies, in the state 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 1 1 7 

and Federal departments, in the army and navy. In a 
word, in every arena where strong men, where trained 
men are contending, the sons of Roanoke may be found. 
These representatives have gone forth from its lecture 
rooms to their fields of chosen work into nearly all the 
states of the Union, to Mexico, to Brazil, to the Burmese 
empire, to far off India, and to the gateway of the sun in 
Japan." 

The members of the Board of Trustees from the ear- 
liest history of the College selected from various learned 
professions and business callings, have been men of 
liberal views, business sagacity, prudent fore-sight and de- 
votion to the best interests of the College. They have har- 
moniously co-operated with the Faculty in managing its 
affairs,and in devising and executing plans to bring it to 
its present high plane of usefulness. 

For years, one of the pressing needs of the College 
was a building for the scientific depaftment.' One year 
ago, a movement was set on foot by the Alumni Associa- 
tion of the College, with the approval of the Board of 
Trustees to supply the need. It has culminated in the 
plan to remodel and enlarge the present buildings. Ef- 
forts were made at once to secure contributions for this 
purpose. The appeal sent out to the Alumni and former 
students, has met with such a prompt and generous re- 
sponse as to ensure the successful accomplishment of the 
work. 

The old building has already been dismantled. Soon 
we trust it will arise like another Phoenix in new beauty, 
a type of the progress of our College and a substantial, 
enduring memorial of this happy jubilee. 

As the half-centuries wing their flight into the past, 
may an ever-increasing number of alumni and students 
make their pilgrimage hither to sing their paeans of 



liU MOAlSrOKE COLLEGE 

praise, and to cast at the feet of our beloved Alma Mater 
their tributes of gratitude and love! 

And now let me lay the touch of silence on the lips 
of my Historic Muse. 

'*For he who sings 
Even of noble conflicts over much, 
Loses the inward sense of better things; 
And he who makes a boast 

Of knowledge, misses that which counts the most — 
The insight of a wise humility, 
That reverently adores what none can see. 
The glory of our life below 
Comes not from what we do, or what we know, 
But dwells foreverraore in what we are. 
There is an architecture grander far i 

Then all the fortresses of war, 
More inextinguishably bright 
Than learning's lonely towers of light. 
Framing its walls of faith, and hope, and love 
In deathless souls of men, it lifts above 
The frailty of our earthly home, 
An everlasting dome; 
The Sanctuary of the human host. 
The living temple of the Holy Ghost." 



The following lists of members of the Board of Trus- 
tees and Faculty of the College from its establishment to 
the present time furnish desirable information which could 
not conveniently be included in the foregoing address. 

List of the officers of the Board of Trustees of the 
Institute and of the College from its organization, with 
their periods of service. 

PRESIDENTS. 

John M. Griffin, M. D., 1849-53. 
Nathaniel Burwell, Esq., 1853-66. 




JOHN N. AMBLER, A. M. 
rnoFEssoE of mathmematics and asteovomy, 1900- 




LEONIDAS iMcKEYNOLl^^. 

INSTRUCTOR IN COMMERCIAL STUDIES, 1891 



BEMI-CENTEKiriAL i21 

lohn Trout^ Esq., 1867-83. 

John J. Moorman, M. D., 1883-85. 

Col. Green B. Board, 1885-87. 

Capt. Sparrell F. Simmons, 1887-95. 

Hon. Henry E, Blair, 1895 — — \ 

SECRETARIES. 

Rev. Gideon Scherer, 1849-50. 
Rev. Christopher C. Baughman, 185 1 -5 3^ 
Prof. S. Carson Wells, 1853-1900. 
Robert W. Kime, 1901 

TREASURERS. 

John P. Kizer, Esq., 1849-57. 
Jacob Keiser, Esq., 1857-59. 
Capt. Robert H. Holland, ig59-7^. 
Demetrius B. Strouse, Esq., 1872-83. 
James Chalmers, Esq., 1883-99. 
Mr. William H. Ruthrauff, 1809 =- 

Members of the Board of Trustees of Roanoke Col- 
lege with their periods of service and places of residence. 
Nathaniel Burwell, Esq. 1853-66, Salem, Virginia, 
Prof. S. Carson Wells, 1853-190O) * (December 7, 1900) 

Salem, Va. 
John P. Kizer, Esq. 1853-61, Salem, Va. 

Rev. David F, Bittle, 1853-76, * (Sept. 25, 1876) Salem, 

Va. 
Rev, C. C. Baughman, 1853-57, Hagerstown, Md. 
Rev. John B. Davis, 1853-55, Staunton, Va. 
Rev. James A. Brown, 1853-67, Wytheville, Va. 
Rev. A. R. Rude, 1853-60, Mt. Jackson, Va. 
Rev. Elijah Hawkins, 1853-67, Pleasant Hill, Va* 
Rev. A. P. Ludden, 1853-57, Madison C. H., Va. 
George Shuey, 1853-67, Staunton, Va. 

* Date of death. 



us ROAKOKE COLLEGE 

Benj. F. Hailman, 1853-67, Middlebrook, Va. 

Jacob Baylar, Esq., 1853-55, Staunton, Va. 

Michael Miller, Esq., 1853-62, * (March, 1862) Salem, Vs. 

George W. Rader, 1853-72, Fincastle,^ Va. 

Col. Abraham Hupp, 1853-62, * (Sept. 2, 1862) Salem^ 

Va. 
John B. I. Logan, E^q. 1853-77, * (December 1877) 

Salem, Virginia. 
George P. Tayloe, Esq., 1853-55, and 1888-91, Roanoke,. 

Va. 
Maj. Charles L. Snyder, 1854-61, Salem, Va. 
Hon. Henry A. Edmundson, 1855-70, Salem, Va, 
Rev. X. J. Richardson, 1855-66, Middlebrook, Va. 
Peter Shaeffer, 1855-67, Fincastle, Va. 
George W. Shanks, Esq. 1855-59, Salem, Va. 
Jacob Keiser, Esq. 1857-66, Salem, Va. 
Hon. John McCauley, 1857-64,* (Sept. 3, 1864) Salem, Va. 
Capt. Robert H. Holland, 1859-87, * (March 8, 1887) 

Salem, Va. 
Rev. Prof. Wm. D. Roedel, 1860-65, * (Dec. 12, 1865) 

Wytheville, Va. 
Capt. Jacob C. Miller, 1 865-80, * (Sept. 9,1 88o)Salem, Va, 
Hon. John Trout, 1865-82, '^ (April 17, 1882) Roanoke, 

Va. 
A. J. Lucas, Esq. 1865-70, Christiansburg, Va. 
Adolphus E. Huff, 1865-76, Salem, Va. 
Peter Shirey, 1 865-1 900, * (Nov. 18, 1900) Salem, Va. 
Hon. Absalom Koiner, 1865-91, Fisherville, Va. 
Col. J. A. Piper, 1866-70, Strasburg, Va. 
Hon. Waller R. Staples, 1866-76, Christiansburg, Va. 
Col. William Watts, 1867-77, Big Lick, Va. 

William McCauley, 1867 Salem, Va. 

Dr. James W\ Shuey, 1867-73, Amsterdam, Va. 

Rev. Alexander Phillippi, 1867 Wytheville, Va. 



Joshua R. C. Brown, 1867- 1900, * (January 23, 1900) 
Salem, Va. 

Rev. Stephen A. Repass, 1870-87, Salem, Va. 

D. R Strouse, Esq. 1870 — Salem, Va. 

Rev. Prof. Abel J. Brown, 1871-87, Bbuntsville, Tenn. 

Jacob Cronise, Esq. 1871-76, Fincastle, Va. 

Albert Gibboney, 1874-87, Wytheville, Va. 

Jacob Bonsack, 1876-80, Bonsack, Va. 

Col. Green B. Board, 1876-87, * (September i5,'*l887) 
Salem, Va. 

Rev. Lewis G. M. Miller, 1876-77, and 1890 Roa- 
noke, Va. 

Rev. Thomas W. Dosh, 1877-89, Salem, Va, 

James Chalm.ers, Esq. 1877-99, * (January 24, 1899) Sa- 
lem, Va. 

Dr. John J. Moorman, 1877-85, '^ (January 22, 1885) 
Salem, Va. 

Prof. Julius D. Dreher, 1879-1903 Salem, Va. 

Charles W. Button, Esq. 1881-94, ^ (December 29, 1894) 
Lynchburg, Va. 

Peyton L, Terry, 1881-89, Roanoke, Va. 

Hon. Henry S, Trout, 1882 Roanoke, V^a. 

Capt. Sparrel F, Simmons, 1885-95, * (J^ty ^i> ^^95) 
Salem, Va. 

Hon. Henry E. Blair, 1887 Salem, Va. 

T. J, Shickel, 1887 Salem, Va. 

Prof Luther R. Holland, 1887-92, * (November 3, 1852) 
Salem, Va. 

Hon. A. M. Bowman, 1887 — — ^ Salem, Va. 

Dr. Arthur Z. Koiner, 1889-93, * (March 22, 1893) Roa- 
noke, Va. 

Hon. George W. Koiner, 1894 Richmond, Va. 

Wm. H. Ruthrauff, 1894 Salem, Va. 

George P. Craighill, 1894 Lynchburg, Va. 



124 MOAN^OKE COLLEGE 

Rev. Luther L. Smith, 1896 Strasburg, Va, 

John W. Carter, Esq. 1896-01, Martinsville, Va. 

Rev. Carl E. Crammer, 1897, Norfolk, Va. 

Ambrose L. Henkel, 1897 New Market, Va. 

Joseph D. Logan, Esq. 1897 Union, W. Va. 

Robert W. Kime, Esq. 1900 Salem, Va. 

Frank H. Chalmers, 1900 Salem, Va. 

J. Edward Cooper, 1902 Winchester, Va. 

Judge W. W. Moffett, 1902 Salem, Va. 

Edgar L. Greever, 1 902 Tazewell,. Va. 

FRESENT BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 

Hon. Henry E. Blair, President, Salem, Va. 
Robert W. Kime, A. M., Secretary, Salem, Va. 
William H. Ruthrauff, Treasurer, Salem, Va. 
President John A. Morehead, A. M., D, D., ex-officio, 

Salem, Va. (President-elect). 
D. B. Strouse, Salem, Va. 
William McCauley, A. M., Salem, Va. 
Rev. Alexander Phillippi, D. D., Wytheville, Va. 
Henry S. Trout, Roanoke, Va. 
Theophilus J. Shickel, Salem, Va. 
Col. A, M. Bowman, Salem, Va. 
Rev. L. G. M. Miller, D. D., Roanoke, Va. 
Hon. George W. Koiner, A. M., Richmond, Va. 
George P. Craighill, Lynchburg, Va. 
Rev. Luther L. Smith, A. M., D. D., Strasburg, Va, 
Rev. Carl E. Grammar, S. T. D., Norfolk, Va. 
Ambrose L. Henkel, New Market, Va. 
Joseph D. Loga»n, Union, W. Va. 
Frank H. Chalmers, A. M., Salem, Va. 
J. E. Cooper, A. M., Winchester, Va. 
Judge W. W. Moffett, Salem, Va. 
Edgar L. Greever, A. M., Tazewell, Va. 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 125 

IJST OF PROFESSORS AND INSTRUCTORS IN ROANOKE COLLEGE. 

Rev. David F. Bittle, A. M. (D. D.) 

(1853-4) Professor of Moral and Intellectual Science. 
(1854-60) Professor of Moral and Intellectual Phil- 
osophy and Hebrew. 
(1860-76) Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philos- 
ophy. 
(Died September 25, 1876.) 
S. -Carson Wells, A. M. (Ph. D., LL. D.) 

(1853-4) Professor of Mathematics and Natural 

Philosophy. 
(1854-56) Professor of Mathematics and Natural 

Science. 
(1856-59) Professor of Mathematics. 
(1859-75) Professor of Mathematics and Natural 

Philosophy. 
(1875- 1 890) Professor of Mathematics and Natural 

Sciences. 
(1890-93) Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy. 
( 1 893-1 900) Steere Professor of Mathematics and 

Astronomy. 
(Died December 7, 1900.) 
Henri G. Von Hoxar. 

(1853-4) Professor of Ancient and Modern Lan- 
guages. 
(Rev.) Valentine F. Bolton (A. M.) 

(1853-4) Tutor, 
Rev. Daniel H. Bittle, A. M. (D. D.) 
(1854-5) Professor of Belles Lettres. 
(1855-58) Professor of Ancient and Modern Lan- 
guages. 
Rev. William B. Yonce, A. M. (and Ph. D.) 

(1854-56) Principal of the Preparatory Department. 



126 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

(1856-58) Assistant Professor of Ancient Languages 

and Principal of Preparatory Department. 
(1858-9) Assistant Professor of Ancient Languages 

and Literature. 
(1859-60) Acting Professor of Ancient Languages 

and Literature. 
(1860-95) Professor of Ancient Languages and Lit- 
erature. 
(Died March 22, 1895.) 
(Rev.) Joseph A. Snyder, (A. M., D. D.) 

(1855-6) Tutor. 
(Rev.) D. M. Blackwelder, (A. M.) 

(1855-6) Tutor. 
Rev. Henry S. Osborn, A. M. 

(1856-59) Professor of Natural Science. 
Arthur Grabowsky. 

(1856-58) Professor of Modern Languages. 
(1858-9) Professor of Modern Languages and In- 
structor in Tactics. 
George P. Terrill, M. D. 

(1857-8) Lecturer on Anatomy and Physiology. 
(Rev.) George W. Holland, (A. M., Ph. D., D. D.) 

(1857-8) Tutor. 
Rev. John G. Frey, A. M. 

(1858-60) Assistant in Ancient Languages and Pre- 
paratory Department. 
(1860-1) Assistant Professor of Ancient Languages. 
(1867-72) Professor of Modern Languages. 
(Died December 4, 1872.) 
Rev. D. p. Cammann. 

(1859-66) Professor of Modern Languages and 
Hebrew. 
William McCauley, A. B., (A. M.) 
(1859-60) Tutor. 



to 



K 














< 



o 



i^EMl^ CENTENNIAL 1 2 9 

Rev. Webster Eiciielberger, A. M. 

(i 860-1) Principal of Preparatory Department. 
Rev. John B. Davis, A. M., (D. D.) 

(i 865-1 872) Professor of Agriculture and Mining. 

(1872-1875) Professor of Natural Science. 
Rev. George W. Holland, A. M., (Ph. D., D. D.) 

(1865-1867) A^ssistant Professor of Languages and 
Principal of Preparatory Department. 
(Rev.) S. a. Repass, (A. M., D. D.) 

(1865-6) Tutor. 
(Rev.) James H. Turner, (A. M., D. D.) 

{1865-67) Tutor. 
(Rev.) J. F. Kiser, (A, M.) 

(1865-6) Tutor. 
H. F. Klinger, a. M. 

(1866-7) Professor of Modern Languages. 

John R. Hudson, A. M. 

(1866-7) Assistant in Preparatory Department. 
(1867-70) Principal of Preparatory Department, 
(1870-1) Adjunct Professor of Greek and Principal 
of Preparatory Department. 

Luther R. Holland, A. M. 

(1867-70) Principal of '' Boys' School." 
(1870-1) Same and Adjunct Professor of Latin. 
(187 1-2) Adjunct Professor of Latin and Superin- 
tendent of Normal Department. 
(1872-75) Superintendent of Normal Department. 

John B. BENTLEt, (A. M.) 
(1867-8) Tutor. 

Henry V, Gray, M. D. 

(1867-69) Lecturer on Anatomy and Physiology. 

Henry M. Fairfax, A. M. 

(1867-71) Assistant in ''Boy's School." 



130 BO AN' ORE COLLEGE 

(Rev.) Anthony T. Graybill, (A. M., D. D.) 

(1868-9) Assistant in Preparatory Department. 
(Rev.) Hugh Henry, (A. M.) 

( 1 870-1) Assistant in Preparatory Department. 
(Rev.) Joseph B. Greever, (A. M.) 

( 1 870-1) Assistant in "Boys' School." 
(187 1-2) Assistant in Preparatory Department. 
Julius D. Dreher, A. B., (A. M., Ph. D.) 

(1871-2) Adjunct Professor of Greek and Principal 

of Preparatory Department. 
(1872-75) Assistant Professor of Ancient Languages 

and Instructor in EngHsh Language and Literature. 
(1875-78) Professor of EngHsh Language and Lit- 
erature. 
(1878-82) President of College and Professor of 

History and Literature. 
(1882-87) President, and Professor of Moral and 

Political Science. 
( 1 887-1903) President of College. 
John T. Crabtree, A. B., (A. M.) 

(1872-74) Instructor in Languages. 

(1874-76) Rector of Preparatory Department and 

Assistant Professor of Languages. 
(1876-78) Assistant Professor of Languages and 

Principal of Preparatory Department. 
(1878-85) Assistant Professor of Ancient Languages. 
(1885-6) Assistant Professor of Greek Language 

and Literature. 
(1886-7) Adjunct Professor of Greek Language and 

Literature. 
(1887-90) Principal of Business Department and 

Adjunct Professor of Greek. 
John J. Moorman, M. D. 

(1872—85) Lecturer on Physiology and Hygiene, 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL ISI 

Marcellus M. Hargrove, A. B., (A. M.) 

(1872-3) Instructor in Special Departments. 

(Rev.) p. Henry Miller, (A. M., D. D.) 

(1873-4) Instructor in Special Departments. 

Rev. David F. Bittle, D. D. 

(1873-76) Lecturer on the Art of Teaching. 

(Rev.) Thomas C. Bittle, A. M., (Ph. D., D. D.) 

{}'^1Z~1'^) Professor of Modern and Oriental Lan- 
guages. 

Charles A. Brown, A. B., (A. M.) 

{^"^1^-1^) Tutor. 

{\'^']6-']%) Assistant in Preparatory Deparment. 

Rev. Thomas W. Dosh, D. D. 

{\%']6-']%) President of College and Professor of 
Moral and Intellectual Philosophy. 

John P. Haislip, A. M. 
(1876-81) Tutor. 
(188 1-2) Instructor in Mathematics and English. 

Rev. Robert C. Holland, A. M., (D. D.) 

(1878-82) Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philos- 
ophy. 
Rev. F. V. N. Painter, A. B., (A. M., D. D.) 

(1878-9) Instructor in French. 

(1879-80) Instructor in Modern Languages. 

(1880 ) Professor of Modern Languages and 

Literature. 
Charles J. Falger. 

(1878-9) Instructor in German. 
Wm. W. Ballard, A. M. 

(1879-80) Lecturer on the Art of Teaching. 
Rev. Luther A. Fox, A. M., D. D, 

(188 1-2) Professor of Moral and Intellectual Phi- 
losophy. 



132 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

(i 882-1 887) Professor of Intellectual Philosophy and 
History. 

■ (1887 ) Professor of Moral and Intellectual 

Philosophy and History. 
Hon. Wm. H. Ruffner, LL. D. 

(1881-84) Lecturer on Field Geology and Commer- 
cial Mineralogy. 
(Rev.) John H. Wyse, (A. M.) 

(1882-85) Instructor in Penmanship and Book-keep- 
ing. 
(Rev.) Benjamin W. Cronk, (A. M.) 
(1882-3) Tutor. 

Esmond V. De Graff. 

(1883-85) Lecturer on the Science- and Art of 
Teaching. 

Adolph H. Snyder, A. B. (A. M.) 

(1883-4) Tutor in Languages. ' 
(Rev.) Perry R. Nugent, A. B. (A. M.) 

(1883-4) Tutor in Mathematics. 
William C. Dreher, A. M. 

(1884-5) Instructor in English and Principal of Pre- 
paratory Department. 

Arthur Z. Koiner, A. M., M. D. 
v-fci. (1885-91) Lecturer on Physiology and Hygiene. 

■ William A. Smith. A. B. (A. M.) 

(1885-6) Instructor in Mathematics and Principal of 

Preparatory Department. 
(1886-7) Instructor in Mathematics and Natural 

Sciences. 
(1887-90) Assistant Professor of Natural Sciences. 
(1890 ) Professor of Chemistry and Physics. 

Wythe F. Morehead, A. B. (A. M.) 

(1S85-87) Instructor in English and Latin. 



SE3II-CENTEKN'IAL 133 

(1887-8) Instructor in Latin, German and English. 
(1888-91) Assistant Professor of English Language 

and Literature. 
(189 1 ) Professor of English Language and 

Literature. * 

(Rev.) Paul Sieg, A. B. (A. M.) 

(1887-89) Instructor in Mathematics and Natural 

Sciences. 

Edgar Bowers, A. B. (A. M.) 

(1888-90) Instructor in Modern Languages. 

(1890-91) Instructor in Languages. 
(Rev.) John A. Morehead, A. B. (A. M., D. D.) 

(1889-90) Instructor in Mathematics and Natural 
Sciences. 

Leonidas McReynolds. 

(1890 ) Instructor in Commercial Studies. 

Isaac W. Lamm. 

(1890-92) Instructor in Penmanship. 

(Rev.) S. C. Ballentine (A. M.) 

(1890-91) Tutor in Greek. 
Herbert M. Smith (A. M., M. D.) 

(189 1-2) Tutor in Greek. 

(1895-97) Instructor in Ancient Languages. 
E. Victor Cox (A. B.) 

(189 1-2) Tutor in Latin. 

Charles B. Cannaday (A. M.) 

(189 1 -2) Tutor in Latin. 

(1892-3) Instructor in Languages. 

(1893-95) Instructor in Mathematics and Languages. 

(1895 ) Assistant Professor of Latin. 

Bascom E. Copenhaver (A. B.) 

(1892-3) Tutor in Latin. 



134 ROAKOKE COLLEGE 

Rev. C. Armand Miller, A. M. 

(1893-95) Assistant Professor of Ancient Languages. 
(1895-6) Assistant Professor of Greek. 
Frank L. Bushong (A. B.) 

(1893-4) Tutor. 
Eugene A. Smith, A. M. 

(1894-96) Instructor in Chemistry and Physics. 
(1896-98) Instructor in Mathematics and Physiology. 
(Rev.) Marion G. Richard (A. M.) 

(1894-5) Tutor. 
A. H. Throckmorton (A. B., A. M.) 

(1894-96) Tutor. 
H. J. McIntire. 

(1894-96) Director of Physical Culture. 
Henry T. Hildreth, A. B., Ph. D. 

(1895-97) Acting Professor of Ancient Languages 
and Literature. 

(1897 ) Professor of Ancient Languages and 

Literature. 
(Rev.) Victor McCauley (A. B.) 

(1895-6) Tutor. 
(Rev.) George McLaren Brydon (A. B.) 

(1895-6) Tutor. 
John D. Rodeffer, A. B. (A. M., Ph. D.) 

(1896- 1 900) Instructor in Mathematics and Director 
of Physical Culture. 
John N. Ambler, A. M. 

(1897-8) Instructor in Mathematics and Ancient 
Languages. 
. ( 1 898-1 901) Assistant Professor of Mathematics. 
(190 1 -3) Acting Steere Professor of Mathematics 

and Astronomy. 
[Elected Steere Professor of Mathematics and As- 
tronomy in June, 1903.] 




WILLIAM McCAULEY, A. M. 

(class of '59.) 



Wm. G. Shackelford, A. B, (A. M.) 

(1898-9) Tutor. 
John Carnahan Peery (A. B^ A, M.) 

(1899-1902) Tutor. 
Frederick B, Kegley, A. B., A. M. 

( 1 902 ) Tutor. [Elected In structor of Danguages 

in June, 1903.] 

Note: The titles designated in parentheses were conferred 
after their possessors first became connected with the College. Only 
the dates of death of those Professors wlio died whik in service 
are indicated. 

PRESENT FACULTY OF ROANOKE COLLEGE. 

John A. Morehead, A. M., D. D. 

President elect. 
Luther A. Fox, A. M., D. D, 

Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy and 

History. 
F. V, N, Painter, A, M., D. D. 

Professor of Modern Languages and Literature. 
William A. Smith, A. M. 

Professor of Chemistry and Physics. 
Wythe F. Morehead. A. M. 

Professor of the English Language and Literature. 
Henry T. Hildreth, Ph. D. 

Professor of Ancient Languages and Literature. 
Charles B. Cannaday, A. M. 

Assistant Professor of Latin. 
John N, Ambler, A. M. 

Steere Professor of Mathematics and Astfollomy. 
Leonidas McReynolds. 

Instructor in Commercial Studies. 
Frederick Bittle Kegley, A. M. 

Instructor in Languages. 



138 . nOANOKE COLLEGE 

The following prize Semi-Centennial Hymn by Pro^ 
fessor C. B. Cannaday, A. M., (class of '92), of the Facul- 
ty, was sung by the choir to music composed by Miss. 
Clara Bell Palmer, of New York City. 

SEMI-CENTENNIAL HYMN, 

liOiid let the jubilate ring 

O Alma Matei'^^s loyal sons, 
Who as tbe laurels new you bring 

Receive anew her benison&. 

Though with her wine were mingled tears^ 

In God she fixed her confidence, ; 

Till mounting to this height of years 
She views her ampler recompense. 

That Thou hast crowned our Academe 
With good to match her length of days^ 

To Thee, O Sovereign Supreme, 
We lift the paean and the praise. 

We laud Thee that in hour& of stress- 

Thou has defended her from ill. 
And turned her need to fruitf ulness i 

Her work is thine — maintain it stilL 

Maintain it, fo-r her work is thine ; 

In vain her workmen raise the wall 
Or hew the beam or drop the line. 

Unless Thine eye be over all. 

May she be more by Wisdom lit, 

Be more the time's interpreter '^ 
Increase her breadth of benefit 

Till all the world have joy of her. 

President Dreher then introduced Rev. Thornton 
Whaling, D. D., (class of '79), Lexington, Va., who de- 
livered the Semi-Centennial Oration. 




SEMI-CENTENNIAL HYMN— MUSIC. 




THORNTON WHALING, D. D. 

(class of '79.) 



^EMI-CJSN-TJSI^KIAL va 



DR. WHALING S ORATION-. 



The supreme test of all human Institutions is the 
quantity and quality of manhood they produce. Why 
should a civilization last which has lost the power to pro- 
duce mighty heroes in action, great pioneers in thought 
and high apostles of noble living? Why should a race 
not pass when its life no longer blossoms into a Pericles, 
a Ceesar, a Charlemagne, or a Washington? Why should 
a state be accorded honor when it ho longer yields men 
of immortal renown? Why should a family's empty 
boast of heraldry be heard when the Tiuman fruit it now 
trings forth is barren of all essential worth? Why should 
a church expect to escape the damning sentence of ra- 
tional censure, when it lacks the saving salt of saviorly 
men? Why should a school talk of endowments and 
buildings until it first calls the roll of iti illustrious sons? 
Or rather the school must have endowments and build- 
ings, apparatus and laboratories, museums and libraries, 
when it can shoVvT that all this outlay bears fruit in the con- 
summate product of men who know how to live themselves 
and have the inherent force which enables them to lead 
others to live truly human lives also. Cambridge which 
can point to the statues of Barrow, Newtoil, and Bacon 
glorifying the entrance to its chapel, can well say, *'Give 
me your gold that I may mint it into men like these." 

In this universal work of m.aking men, the mission 
of the college in considerable degree is that of leading 
the individual into possession of the acquisitions and 
achlevemients of the whole human race of which he is a 
member. The individual is the creature of a brief human 
day: the race for ten thousand years has wrought over 
all the problems of life, and upon many of these problems 
has reached ecumenical conclusions upon the basis of 



I42r MOANOKE COLLEGE 

catholic experience. The individual is not fully human 
who builds only on his own slender experience of a score 
or more of years, while the achievements of the whole 
human race in every field of thought and action through 
folly or neglect or inability are unused. To be a man, 
rich and full and vital, requires that the life of the race 
should be appropriated and its conclusions and experi- 
ences assimilated by the individual who would thus lead 
a really human life; for the individual is not an isolated 
unit, but he is a part of the vast organism of humanity 
whose existence gives meaning and worth to the indivi- 
dual just to the degree in which that life of organic hu- 
manity informs and inspires the individual. Human life 
would be a paltry thing not worth the having if the indi- 
vidual were confined to the slender resources of his own 
accumulation, and were cut ofi" from that immense capital 
of thought and feeling, of science and literature, of art 
and religion, which the human race has gathered through 
it hundreds of generations of toilsome striving after the 
secrets of truth and life. Now the college is that parti- 
cular historic institution which has been developed to dis- 
charge the function of introducing the individual into the 
culture and science, the art and religion of his race; in 
short, to make the individual man, in deed and in truth, 
"the heir of all the aofes in the foremost files of time," to 
lead its sons into the possession and usufruct of these 
spirtual riches which the race has gathered. 

I remark then, first, that the college exists to lead its 
pupils into the science that the race has accumulated. 
After thousands of years of investigation, there is a mass 
of truth as to our world and the system of words of which 
it is a part, which we call science; and every educated 
man ought to be possessed of these essential scientific 
doctrines. Not that any one mind is encyclopedic enough 



SEMI- CENTEXXIAL 1 43 

fully to compass the whole field of present scientific 
knowledge; but the fundamental truths as to the consti- 
tution of matter, the laws of energy and life, the history 
of our globe and of living forms upon it, the derivation 
of all existing species by natural selection, the uniform ty 
of law, the unity of life, — these truths and others like 
them ought to constitute a part of the common heritage 
of ever}^ cultured man who has been led by his college 
to taste the science which wise men have wrouorht out in 
the patent forge of observation, experiment, and intense 
reflection. These ascertained scientific truths, proved 
by methods which admit of no doubt, constitute the intel- 
lectual basis upon which the whole structure of resona- 
ble thinkinor and belief and conduct rests. The man 

o 

who does not have the scientific foundation upon which 
to build may erect massive piers of lovely reasoning con- 
nected by wondrous bridges of skillful speculation, but 
when the time comes, the shifting sands dissolve and only 
unsiofhtlv ruins remain to convict the incautious thinker. 
Nor is the scientific method of less value than the scien- 
tific truths for which it vouches, and any educated man 
may indict his college if he be not trained through some 
one department of science in the method which accepts 
nothing on authority, which leaps to no conclusion on in- 
sufficient evidence, which stands before nature, and with- 
out preconception, asks for the fact, and seeks for the 
law in the fact with no other motive than to find the 
truth. Life can never be the same for any man, whether 
his special studies be in history or economics, in litera- 
ture or art, in ethics or theology, who has been trained 
in some one department of science, as in chemistry or 
physics, to bow before no authority but fact, to own no 
mental sovereign save proven truth. And one great glory 
set into the diadem of the worthy college is that it exisits 



144 BOAJSfOKE COLLEGE 

to give its sons the scientific knowledge which the race has 
slowly and painfully acquired, and to teach them that pure 
and safe scientific method by which these achievements 
have been made. 

I remark, second, that it is the mission of the college 
to lead its scholars into the literature in which the race 
has revealed its life. In many lands and in many tongues 
the race has uttered its profoundest experiences, has told 
out its necessary faiths, and uncovered those elemental 
passions which stir the depths in every human heart; but 
there are few grand masters of thought and style who 
have put the substance of human thinking on the pro- 
foundest problems and the substance of human feeling 
on the profoundest interests in forms so beautiful and 
rare as to constitute the fitting incarnation of the very 
substance and essence of humanity's deepest life. The 
world can never outgrow these supreme masters, who 
have been moved to speak upon the highest themes in 
the everlasting forms of beauty. Men must ever return to 
Homer, always to find in him the same union of stern 
reality and intense humanness under a divine moral order, 
combined with a simplicity and beauty of form which ap- 
peals to the thinker and artist who lives in every human 
soul. To outgrow Vergil or Dante, Shakespeare or 
Goethe, men must cease to be men, feeling no longer 
the distinctly human problems which challenge the rea- 
son and comfort the conscience; and weigh down upon 
the feelings of every man who essays to live a truly hu- 
man life. Upon all these problems the reason and con- 
science and heart may find that their most intimate voices 
have already spoken with a truth and power which com- 
mand attention and reverent hearing. My soul may 
hear its own voice in these sublime masters who have 
spoken out of the heart of that humanity which includes 



SE3I1~ CENTENNIAL 1 45 

me as well as them; and if I listen to them speaking for 
my soul, I may speak more wisely when I open my lips 
to speak in the name of that soul which binds me into 
that broader humanity which embraces all the sons of 
men. The college exists to bind the individual soul with 
its narrowness and limitations into that universal race 
spirit which has thought so profoundly and felt so deeply 
and acted so earnestly in every possible field of human 
activity, and whose thoughts, experiences, beliefs, and 
deeds are written in that literature by which the individ- 
ual horizon is widened, and the individual spirit is made 
free to realize its divine destiny. 

I remark, third, that it is the mission of the college 
to introduce its sons to the art in which the race has ex- 
pressed its ideals of beauty. Life was meant to be beau- 
tiful, and in so far as sanity and health prevail in men's 
thinking and doing, the spirit of beauty and of God suf- 
fuses nature and men with the subtle divine essence. 
The demon of ugliness is the child of the devil of false- 
hood and immorality. That beastly temper which under 
the guise of Puritanism smashed with fierce unreasoning 
hand the glorious form in which art had enshrined the 
essence of truth and holiness, is more akin to the Satan 
of unreason and disease than to the Supreme Spirit of 
wholeness and universal life. When truth and holiness 
are incarnate in shapes which reveal their intrinsic nature, 
and make appeal to the deepest instincts and elemental 
powers of man, the divine quality of beauty glorifies with 
''a lio^ht which never was on land or sea" the truth and 
holiness which are united in perfect combinatian in the 
First Perfect and First Fair,— that original fountain out 
of which streams all the 'true and beautiful and good" 
which makes glad the enfranchised sons of God. Beauty 
is not an accident in God's creation, or an incident in its 



146 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

evolving life. Beauty Is not an afterthought which has 
been lugged in to transfigure an otherwise barren and 
ugly world of natare and of men; but beauty is an essen- 
tial part of the inherent life of that divine and ineffable 
Source from which all being springs; and an every efflux 
which emanates from this Supreme Being. Revealing as 
it does His essential nature, His own eternal beauty 
must be expressed in modes as divinely fair as his own 
unspeakable and transcendent loveliness itself The race 
has left this in all sections, and has put its deepest 
thoughts and feelings, not in abstract and logical treat- 
ises, which can contain only the shallow and fragmentary 
systems which "have their day and cease to be," but in 
music arid sculpture and painting and poetry, in noble 
behavior and holy attitude of soul; and the individual 
who would get at the deepest life of his race will be 
balked if with iconoclastic hand he thursts art aside and 
declines to receive the message which his race would de- 
liver to him through those beautiful forms in which the 
essence of truth and life has had its divinest expression. 
The man who stands before the Venus of Milo in the 
art gallery of the Louvre is strangely blind if he does 
not see that here is something deeper, more fundamen- 
tal, closer to the heart of things, than Plato ever spoke or 
Aristotle ever thought or Bacon put on record for the 
instruction of men. And the mission of the college is 
not well fulfilled until its sons are made citizens of that 
kingdom of beauty which is also the Kingdom of God. 

I remark, fourth, that it is the purpose of the college 
to acquaint its pupils with that history through which the 
race has accumulated all of its present institutions. 
There are few more practically important problems in the 
wide ordering of individual life than that of wise adjust- 
ment to the many-sided institutional life which the race 



^EMI-CENTENmAL 147 

lias wrought out, and in which every man, without his 
own will, finds himself imbedded, and by which he is con- 
ditioned in every motion, physical or spiritual. These 
institutions must be studied in their origin if they are to 
be understood in their intrinsic nature. Development 
is the key which shows us not only how things came to 
be, but what things are; their history unlocks the secret 
of their nature. Who can understand a modern state, 
like this imperial republic of the United States, in whose 
citizenship we glory as the badge of enlightened freedom, 
without analyzing the elements it derived from Greek, 
fromi Roman, from Teuton, and from the mother country, 
and without following the process of the combination of 
these diverse elements into the unity of our national life, 
securing at once the largest individual liberity, the most 
extensive local self-government, and yet preserving, in- 
violate, the sovereignty and one-ness of the Nation? 
Who can rationally understand the family, unless he 
study its development through promiscuity, polygamy or 
polyandry as the case may be, to that monogamic union 
for life of one man with one woman, which shows us the 
ideal and goal toward which family development moved? 
Who can rationally understand the church as one of the 
organs of the Kingdom of God, unless he study the 
method in which the religious consciousness and nature 
have always been organized in every land and civilization 
into some external and visible form for the realization of 
moral and religious ends? Who can understand society, 
that all inclusive and wonderful combination of men which 
embraces all the modes of his institutional life, unless he 
see the slow process by which, emerging from animal and 
barbaric conditions, the inherent social nature has found a 
clearer and more perfect expression, in the steadily ad- 



us ROAKOKE COLLEGE 

vancing' social state of ''gentler manners, purer laws/'' 
and higher ideals? 

It is the mission of the college to explain to its sons 
the institutions which the race has wrought out, by teach- 
ing the process through which these institutions have 
come to be what they are; and thus there is produced the 
mood of a wise conservatism which always holds on to 
the normal results of natural development, which always 
marks the educated man, and there is also produced the 
spirit of true progress which refuses to believe that the 
process of development has already reached its goal, 
which equally marks the educated man; denying at once 
the rabid conservatism which holds there can be no fur- 
ther progress, and the rabid progressiveness which would 
throw away the results of all past evolutions. The his- 
toric spirit which sees the evolution moving through its 
stadia in the past, and yet is not blind to the possible 
evolution of the future built on the history of the past, 
this is the spirit which is gendered in the historical studies 
of the institutional achievements of the race, which the 
college can not ignore In doing its full duty to its patrons 
and students. 

I remark, fifth and last, that it is the mission of the 
college to recognize the religious life which the race has 
always possessed. If conduct is nine-tenths of life, then 
religion includes all of conduct and all of life. Science 
and literature, art and history, conduct and institutions, 
none of these can plead exemption frem religious ideals. 
It is writ large in the race's history on our globe that 
man's nature is essentially religious; and it is writ equally 
large on the face of humanity's life, that that one great 
historic religion sums up all the excellences of the world's 
religions and meets all the needs of man's immortal soul. 
History is the realm of unreason, in which there is no 



SEMI- CEITTENNIAL 1 49 

reason or meaning, if Jesus Christ be not the world's re- 
ligious leader and master, and if the Book in which he is 
portrayed, whatever the theories of its origin or nature 
may be, is not the world's supreme religious text book. 
The college cannot without treason to its mission divorce 
itself from all relation to the race's best product in its 
noblest field of activity and life. How can the college 
which ceases to be religious and Christian, claim to be at 
all? Not with the Christianity of parties or sects or 
churches, not with the Christianity of creeds and systems 
and fallible human opinion, but with the Christianity of 
Christ which transcends all the creeds and churches; that 
Christianity of which he himself is the best interpretation 
and only perfect expression, and yet which when trans- 
lated into dogma or hardened into ecclesiastical politics, 
loses something of that divine power which belongs only 
in supreme degree to Jesus Christ himself. If education 
is to be complete, if culture is to be full-orbed, if the col- 
lege is to give us the best which the race has thought and 
said and done, it can no more neglect Jesus Christ than 
our world can ignore the sun by cutting the tie which 
binds it to the central orb and rolling off upon a wild ca- 
reer of disaster and death without a "Lord and Master." 
Science, Letters, Art, History, Religion — these are our 
watch words: the primary and secondary schools furnish 
us tools with which we master them; the university builds 
upon the basis of their possession special attainments in 
a limited field; technical and professional schools prepare 
for special arts or professions in life; but the mission of 
the college is to make its sons and daughters to possess 
this fair land of the achievements of the race in Science 
and Literature, in Art, History, and Religion — thus edu- 
cating them into the culture and fullness of life, which 
ought to be the heritage of all the sons of men. 



ISO EOANGKE COLLEGE 

And now on this festal day on which we have recited 
our educational creed and paid homage to our educational 
ideals, we rejoice in that large measure of loyalty to her 
mission and faith-fulness to her ideals which have marked 
out Alma Mater. We point with pride to her line of cul- 
tivated servants v/ho in the president's or professor's 
chair have given their best to her with very inadeq^uate 
earthly reward. We point to her graduates, who in 
many states and lands, and in many fields of service, 
have shown that her sons who have profited by her tui- 
tion, need not fear competition with those who hail from 
schools with larger endowments in bricks and dollars. 
We point to the thousands who have sat at her feet and 
learned many lessons which have made them stronger 
for living as men should live, not "like dumb driven cat- 
tle" but as "Sons of God," "the heirs of all the ages'' of 
the past, and of all the immortal ages of the future. 
What should we do for her? Believe in her, cherish her 
good name, speak her praises, give as we are able for 
her support. Is there not here to-day some youth who 
will adopt as his life profession the making of money for 
endowment? And while we wait for this generous youth 
to make his millions are there not numbers who can find 
no higher use for their money than to put it in yonder 
wall? We can pray for her prosperity, that her bulwarks 
may be strengthened, that palaces may delight to furnish 
her with their gems and homes furnish her with their sons. 
For fifty years she has served the church and state; 
for many hundreds more may she continue to serve with 
ever widening scope; nay, may she continue to serve as 
long as the Roanoke rools its musical waters to the sea, 
and as long as these mountains embrace her like the 
"everlasting mountains which were round about Jerusa- 
lem." 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 151 

The prize Semi-Centennial Song, "Old Roanoke," 
by Professor F. \ , N. Painter, D. D., (class of '74), of 
the Faculty, was then sung by the choir. 

OLD ROANOKE A COLLEGE SONG. 

Proudlj 'mid encircling mountains, 
In a Yale surpassing fair, 

Where the river and its fountains 
Sparkle in the hazy air, — 

O'er the campus calmly dreaming, 

While the sun is softly beaming. 
Clothed in majesty serene, 
Stands the College like a queen, 
Stands the College like a queen. 

\ Loyal hearts from hill and valley 

Proudly own thy sovereignty. 
And exultingly they rally 

For thy honored jubilee. 
They recall the epic story 
Of thy struggles, conquest, glory, 
I • Which, as precious jewels, now 

Thou dost wear upon thy brow, 
Thou dost wear upon thy brow. 

All thy works of queenly beauty. 

We shall cherish in life's fray. 
Standing forth for truth and duty. 

As our God shall show the way. 
May thy future, still progressing. 
Know each year some added blessing, 

So that, while the ages flee, 

Grander be thy destiny. 

Grander be thy destiny ! 

President Dreher then introduced Professor Charles 
Benton Cannaday, A. M., (class of '92), of the Faculty, 
who read the Ode, composed by himself, for the occa- 
sion. 



153 EOAlSrOKE COLLEGE 

SEMI-CENTENNIAL ODE. 
I 

Not suddenly, as in a summer night 

Assyrian verdure spread 

About the prophet's head ; 

Not suddenly does a great thought spring to light 

And shake the established earth 

To which has come no herald of its birth. 

Slowly and ever slowly, 

Prom sources dim or lowly, 

From bards forgotten, seers that stood 

Lone on the peak of some uplifted mood ; 

From such as paid the martyr's debt ; 

From heroes unrenowned that sweat 

Beneath the snarl of currish underlords ; 

From human saviors, stung with others' wrongs, 

Bleeding to loose the tongues 

That stammer with hereditary fear ; 

From shepherds piping to their herds ; 

From traders that subdue the sea ; 

From calms that wrap the wheeling sphere ; 

From farthest outposts of infinity ; 

From these and these the great thought gathers being, 

Yet veils in part its radiancy, 

Till star with star agreeing, 

It flashes forth the lightning of its potency. 

II 

The enduring works that man has wrought, 
The offspring of enduring thought. 
Age-long in their shaping are, 
And likewise bring their being from afar; 
And often out of darkness are they brought. 

Ill 

Not with the trumpet's din, 

Nor eager pouring of the people round ; 



^EMl-CENTENNIAL 15S 

1^0% with the sound 

Of Doisy jubilation was the moment ushered in 

That saw thy work begin, ^ 

O Mother, standing now with forehead fitly crowned. \ 

The hands that laid thy stones were few, *\ 

The house they made was rude and small ; 

Whether the work would stand or fall, 

Of them that built it none foreknew. 

Yet were it well to say 

They wrought obscurely in an obscure time ? 

No voice that urges to a better way, 

No purpose broad, no serviceable deed, 

Shall mask itself forever, but shall clinab 

As out of darkness climbs the seed 

Into the geniaf day ; ' 

Where published to the favors of the sun, 

Its life-in-life defies decay, 

A.nd waves its verdure as the summers run 

In rich renewal to the end of time. 

Though building from a low estate, 

The lamp they wrought by failed them not in burning ; 

They labored resolute, elate. 

Because they knew their thought was great. 

And steadfast their design to set 

Upon their outmost parapet 

The undimraed cressets of a Christian learning. 

Give honor then 

To those large-visioned men. 

Whose faith inwoven with their toil 

Made league too strong for marplot time to foil. 

Set them in honor then. 

But chief in honor that triumvirate 

Of eminent spirits, Bittle, Wells, and Yonoe, 

Who through the years of stress and strait. 

In courage firm, in action great. 

Sent up their prayer to heaven and heard the sure response. 

IV 

The trumpets blow about the land ; 
Along the lanes the gathering band 



Ii4 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

Startles the darkness with quick strenuous tread. 

From hall and grange they muster, — men 

Whose generous eye discovers with its ken 

Naught save the torch of honor as it flames ahead. 

I see them girt as with the belt of Thor, 

And strung with battle-passion move 

In columned confidence to prove 

The bitter and the sweet of war. 

They move as moves a strong man in his prime, 

Bearing a large hope with him, and they go 

With faces set to climb 

Even to the perilous bastions of the foe. 

Broad-shouldered men they march, but at their side 

Goes many a beardless boy with equal stride, 

Fired with an equal flame * 

To top the roll of valor with his name. 

Thus, Mother of Spartan sons, 

Out from thy classic portals, widely flung. 

Issue thy manliest, high in heart and young, 

And rush to greet the thunder of the guns. 

Many there be about whose fronts are hung 

A formal learning's vain phylacteries, 

Who in their casual passing spare 

But a chill Levite stare 

When truth lies wounded by her enemies. 

Not such the lustihood that pours 

From out thy patriot doors, 

Leaving the book and girding on the sword ; 

For these a higher voice have heard 

And learned great learning's mightier word, 

Spelled in the syllables of sacrifice 

And spoken when her uttermost thought is stirred. 



Back from the great emprise 
Whither the captains led, 
After the shouting dies, 
Homeward they bear them dead. 
What if they fought and failed ? 



BEMI -CENTENNIAL 15* 

Nobler are not than they; 
Never a leader quailed, 
Never a man gave way. 
Mother that sent them forth. 
Mother that weeps them slain. 
Blazon their work and worth, 
Searching the loss for gain. 

VI 

Dreary the land and half-antenanted, 

With wasted homes that gape upon a waste^, 

Where wild Bellona hurled her torches dread 

And the stern war-stallions paced. 

'O sum of all the potencies that are, 

!Lend now your ministries to heal and bless 

Our Southland maimed with manv a battle-scat ! 

O ye whose reasoning is of righteousness, 

And ye that speak medicinal words of hope, 

Men of the prophet's vision, statesman's scope, 

Who glimpse the good of aftertimes afar, 

And ye who wear the poet's bay, and ye 

That lead us up the ample ways to see 

What marvels have been wrought by science' alchemy, -^^ 

^peak out your manfullest, hopefullest message now 

To blot the doubtful wrinkle from the brow 

Of men who feel the night upon the land. 

Ye that seeing understand. 

Divide your light ; set other eyes to mark 

How morning yonder leans upon the dark, 

And how beyond the trembling orient gate 

Comes on the culminant glory of our State. 

VII 

Through shock of those the frenzied years. 
The hail of lead, the rain of tears, 
When the blocked current of the people's life 
Foamed in the maelstrom of intestine strife> 
Thou, Mother, in thy calm retreat. 



150* RO AWOKE COLLEGER 

Thy labors dedicate to truth, 

Didst still her sovereign words repeat, 

And lay them burning on the mind of youth ;; 

But when the cannonry had ceased to mutter, 

And wreck and solitude were christened peace,, 

Though still harsh tongues might utter 

The counter-taunts of sra^oldering enmities, — 

Twas thea thy sweeter, clearer voice resounded,. 

Beside thy noble sisters in their station. 

Commending love where hate before abounded — 

The nQ\\ evangel to the new-sealed nation. 

Kot with thine eye set narrowly on thy task. 

Nor bou^nd to gray ineptitudes that mask 

In culture's livery, thy thought was turned 

To meet the need and temper of the time. 

Thy work was with the men whose band 

Should build again the vacant land". 

And build it with a faith sublime, 

Broad-based in loyalty to stand. 

Though all the bolts of time against its towers beturned^ 

YIII 

So ran the years — effectual yearSy 

That like a bow of beauty span 

The upmost heights achieved by man. 

And link him to the spheres ; 

So sped the time, while she we own 

As Mother, &till in service great 

In all that molds the perfect state,. 

To ampler fame was grown ; 

Till ranging proudly with her peers, 

And standing with the wreathed brow. 

She greets us as she measures ijow 

Her half a hundred years. 

Ye sons that reverence her name, 

Returning hail her old renown 

And send it ever broadening down 

In salvos of acclaim. 



^EMI -CENTENNIAL 157 

Ye spirits ooe ifl loyally, 
Fnll-chornsed be your praise of her. 
Whose eyes are deep with thiD^s that were 
And bright with thicgfe to be. 



IX 



Yet larger praise for her, the greatly dowered, 
Our pj'ond Republic lookiog toward the light. 
Her hopes are Dot the hopes that lowered 
In other lands yet bordering on the night. 
Such calm is in her countenance, 
•Such force to thwart the blows of chance, 
As if the embarrassed Fates had left their spinning 
And laid in her own hand the clew, 
Which as she traced anew from its beginning, 
The filament within her fingers grew 
Into such iron thew 

As giants bring from battle after winning. 
<3onntry of ours, confirmed in our devotion. 
The refuge of the innumerable stranger, 
Let her not think, tboagb moated by the ocesn, 
That she may laugh at danger. 
Though armies of the alien come not near her, 
Kor all their vaunts avail to fear her, 
I see about her shining coasts 
The huddled, shrill-complaining ghosts 
Of ignorance, of chartered wrong. 
Of sham allegiance to hej^^ss^- 
Of gold that mocks at all the ]aw». 
Of strength that is unjustly strongs 
Of new irreverences, of hates 
'Twixt race and race within her gates^ 
Of lies of cheat and demagogue, 
Of prurient press that sets agog 
The idiot herd with catalogue 
Of scandal, painted vice, and rank sensation- 
Dull weights are these that clog the progress of our nation* 



158 ROANOKE COLLEGIA 

X : 

FroQting the better years to be, 
Beloved Alma Mater, see 
Thy missioH written in thy country's need. 
What if the multitude assess 
Thy n^eans as small ? 'Tis not the more nor less*' 
That saves and sanctifies the deed. 
But rather noble readiness 
To answer with a sovereign " yes " 
When sovereign causes plead. 
Stand thou beside the powers that stand 
For godliness in this our land, 
For reason that will cancel strife, 
For science that lives close to life, 

For thrift, and patient toil, and prayer^ ' 

For charity, for scorn of wrong, 
For light far all m:en everywhere. 
For truth that makes them free and faith that makes 
them strong. 

ADDRESSES BY COLLEGE DELEGATES. 

At 8:15 on Wednesday evening, June 10, a large 
and appreciative audience assembled in the Auditorium 
to hear the addresses by the delegates from Virginia In- 
stitutions. 

Prayer was offered by Rev. A. D. R. Hancher, A. 
M., (class of '89), Staunton, Va. 

President Dreher expressed the great pleasure it 
gave the Faculty and trustees to have present the dele- 
gates from the universities and colleges of Virginia to 
participate in the celebration of the Semi-Centennial of 
Roanoke College. He assured the delegates that the 
honor done to Roanoke by these institutions in sending 
delegates for this occasion was sincerely appreciated, as 
a token of interest in Roanoke College and as a mani- 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 159 

festation of good fellowship in the cause of higher educa- 
tion in Virginia. 

President Dreber then introduced the delegates in 
the order in which the institutions were chartered, the 
first in that order being, Professor Henry C. Brock, B. 
Litt., of Hampden-Sidney College. 

PROFESSOR brock's ADDRESS. 

Mr. President, Gentlemen of the FacvUty and of the Board 
of Trustees ; Kind Friends of the General Audience-. 

I am glad to have escaped from exacting duties in 
time to be present at the morning exercises commemo- 
rating the completion of Roanoke's first fifty years of 
service in the cause of education, as well as to be the 
honored bearer to-night of an elder sister's cordial greet- 
ings and of the congratulations appropriate to an occasion 
so noteworthy in her history. 

In the half century that marks almost exactly the 
period which one of the distinguished gentlemen who is 
on to-morrow's programme of addresses has pictured so 
vividly in his volume of Reminiscences — a period of 
marvelous progress, of mighty forces and momentous 
events — Roanoke has played a noble part in her own 
sphere of ever-widening usefulness, a part set forth with 
filial devotion by her learned historiographer in his most 
interesting paper this morning ; and by her services has 
vindicated, with others, the raison f etre of colleges as 
such in the educational world, proving that they, too, are 
no less vitally needed than greater foundations with their 
splendid equipments and countless special departments. 

Charles Dudley Warner, some time in the eighties, 
struck with the wealth agricultural and mineral of your 
magnificent valley, outlined for your college a picture 
which transformed her into a great industrial and scien- 



160 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

tific school, sending forth yearly, as he probably imagined, 
hundreds of learned farmers and graziers, miners and 
smelters, weavers and other handicraftsmen, that should 
turn the clods and fleeces of the valley by elaborate and 
rapid process, like the alchemy of the sun, into purest 
gold. The vision is alluring, yet not all inclusive, and I 
have no doubt, gentlemen of the Board, it is your present 
honored and energetic executive's aim that she follow 
still the lines laid down by her founders, who designed 
that she should be ''a seminary for the instruction of 
youth in science and literature, the useful arts and the 
learned and foreign languages." 

The scope is wade and full, achievement necessarily 
gradual, but no doubt experience has shown its wisdom, 
and the vantage ground won so nobly and held to-day is 
an earnest for the coming years, with large and still 
larger endeavor and ever encouraging success. May 
Gk)d guide her and speed her on her noble mission. 

President George H. Denny, Ph. D., LL. D., 
of Washington and Lee University was then introduced. 

PRESIDENT Denny's address. 

Mr. President, Ge^itlemen of the Board of Trustees, Ladies 
and Gentlemen : 

It is altogether proper and beautiful that the sister- 
hood of Virginia institutions of the higher learning, born 
of the same devotion and cherishing the same ideals, re- 
joicing in the oneness of their derivation and destiny, 
should come together and strike hands at this glad hour. 
For myself I count it a great personal privilege to share 
in these festivities, and to bring you a message of pride 
and congratulation from the Washington and Lee Uni- 
versity. 



SEMI-CENTEJSrRIAL Ifii 

It is no Insignificant honor to celebrate'a half-century 
of service and achievement, and at the same time to en- 
joy the lofty faith, the unquenchable hope, and the super- 
abounding energy of a fresh and unexhausted life. 

This must be to you a day filled with solemn and 
impressive memories. Doubtless there are many in this 
presence who are now in memory calling the roll of illus- 
trious names which this College has furnished the Com- 
monwealth and the nation, — names the very mention of 
which bring to mind pictures of heroic struggle and civic 
virtue. 

And yet it must be remembered that a half-century 
is but an atom of time in institutional life. Your eyes, 
alumni and friends of Roanoke College, are fixed on the 
future crowded with its splendid opportunities and its 
radiant hopes. The consciousness that an eventful half- 
century now passed into history has made this institution 
of your affection and reverence radiant with the trans- 
figuring beauty of age is not half so sweet as the reflec- 
tion that she still wears the fresh glory of a vigorous 
prime. 

Your wish to cherish the past Is not half so strong 
as your desire to hail it as the prelude of still better days 
to come. It must be far from you at this hour to desire 
to be fed upon the husks of a flattering and senseless 
optimism. Yours is the present task of reviewing an 
honorable and useful past chiefly with a view to meeting 
with epic fortitude the new duties, the new needs, and 
the new demands of this teeming time. 

I trust I may be pardoned for saying at this time 
that the conscience and judgment of this new day will 
demand a changed attitude on the part of many of our 
institutions of higher learning. They will no longer be 
suffered to remain in an Olympic isolation, nor to drink 



162 nOAKOKE COLLEGE 

the cup of their own self-sufficiency. Human society is 
now demanding that these institutions shall become 
active, aggressive forces in the spread of knowledge 
among the toiling masses who live largely in ignorance 
and in the shadows of the world; that these institutions 
shall have a more definite purpose, a more definite faith, 
and a more definite desire for a higher public service ; 
that they shall become more effective as engines of popu- 
lar enlightenment; that they shall find a larger satisfac- 
tion, a larger sympathy, and a larger joy in making Cfiuse 
with the more enlightened conscience of the nation in its 
desire to guarantee a greater average intelligence among 
the masses of the people. 

If the nation is to enjoy a greater exactitude of 
thinking among the leaders, it must also experience a 
soberer discipline and a quieter tone in the life of the 
plain people. No institution can achieve the greatest 
success or perform the highest type of service, if it fails 
to recognize its duty to the humblest citizen of the state. 
It is only in the recognition of this responsibility that we 
can find a complete defense of Emerson's dictum to the 
eftect that ''a dollar in a university is worth more than a 
dollar in a jail." It is only in the recognition of this re- 
sponsibility that education may be regarded solely as an 
investment, and not an expenditure. 

" The best political economy," says Emerson, "is 
the care and culture of men," — not merely the limited 
few, but the unlimited many. This is the ideal to which 
our colleges must approach. Then they will be able to 
make an effective appeal to the heart and conscience of 
philanthropy and wealth. Then they may hope to be 
prospered in their way, and to fulfill their divine mission 
in the world. Then they may expect to arouse to their 
support that solemn, majestic thing, called public opinion. 



^» 

Ancl \vhen an irresistible public sentiment for the ac- 
=complishment of the highest and most permanent pubHc 
•^nd, which is popular education, is once fully aroused, 
■men will pledge, if ne^d be, all the property of the Com- 
^jnonwealth to sup^port their institutions in their benefi- 
'cent mission. 

To this work we welcome Roanolce College with its 
splendid spirit, and its prestige and power of accomplish- 
^ment and service, k will not be an easy task, but it will 
^ultimately be crowned with success. Let us approach it 
with dignity amd with faith. 

^^ To doubt w'^<5Tild be disloyalty, 
f o falter woaM be sin." 

It is said that the Roman Senate, after the (disastrous 
battle of Cannae, where the v-ery flower and chivalry of 
Roman knighthood was -c^it do^vn, voted thanks to the 
consul Varro, quod de tepublica jzan d^sperasset, ''because 
be had not despaired of the ReJ^ublic'^ Such is my feel- 
ing in making an appeal to meli, who have felt the touch 
of college discipline, to join in this divine mission of 
reaching the public mind and quickening the public con- 
science. Duty requires such co-operation, patriotism en- 
forces the claim, and devotion to libef ty invests it with a 
solemn significance. 

I take it for granted that every institution of higher 
learning in this ancient Commonwealth must desire to 
behold our section, so recently prostrate in dust and 
ashes, rise again from its former state of desolation and 
darkness. I take it for granted that each one would de- 
sire to see this cherished section clad in new robes of 
civic usefulness and civic self-respect and enabled to en- 
ter again upon a new and better career. I take it for 
granted that we all cherish the sentiment that would 



^^Ring in the valiant man and fT^e, 

The layal hearty the kii>dlier hand ; 
Ring out the darkness of the land, 
• Ring ifi- the light that is to be." 

In expressmg my gpeetiag, therefore^ my chief mes- 
sage is that the real college of the present and future 
day is to be not merely a seat af learning, however rare 
an academic adornmen;t It may be ; that it is not merely 
a training school ofscient^e and culture and ethics ; but 
that it is specifically and fun dampen tally a fortress plant- 
ed along the defenses of free govern-ment, to be manned 
by high intelligence, unselfish patriotism, and above all 
by a rare devotion to the spread of learning among the 
masses of the people, that they may be given a chance 
%o i^n-herit the beauty, the richness and the power of life, 

In^ greeting the College, I cannot resist the impulse 
at this hour of greeting its President in the self-same 
message ; for he it is who- has guided its destinies with 
the skill of the trained mariner through one-half of its 
life. With a rare earnestness, v/ith a distinguishing pur- 
ity and unselfishness of purpose, — the insignia of gentle 
worth and faithful purpose, — his has been the uncon- 
quered, wholesome, recuperative, regenerative spirit of 
peace and progress ; and tonight it is permitted him after 
five-and-twenty years of service, — -the Nestor of Virginia 
College executives, — to witness the realization of his 
dreams, to behold the work of his hands, and to rejoice 
in the fulfillment of his plans ! May he long remain to 
stimulate the impulses and aspirations of his people ; to 
enrich the concept of civic virtue in his state and country; 
to exemplif}^ the ideal of social service ; to reveal the 
strength and beauty of an abundant and useful life, and 
to bring yet greater honor and renown to this college he 
has served so long and so well! 



BH'MI-CBJSrTJPJI^m'AL lo:^ 

Professor Charles W. Kent, M. A., Ph. D,, of the 
University of Virginia, was then introduced. He con- 
gratulated Roanoke College on her long and useful ca^ 
reer, and on the completion of her semi-centennial year 
under such favorable aMspices. He spoke of the cordial 
relations that had always sMbsisted between Rt>anoke and 
the University, and of the fine record that Roanoke men 
had made at his institution. He congratiiilated President 
Dreher on his successfial conduct of the Collep'e, and ex- 
pressed sincere regret at the his retirement from the pres- 
idency. The College, he felt sure, would in the future 
work out a career of enlarged usefulness and prosperity, 
and would ever retain the interest and sympathy of the 
institution he represented. 

As Dr. Kent spoke entirely without manuscript or 
notes, and as he has been prevented by sickness ffom re- 
producing his address at the urgent request ef the com- 
mittee, we regret very much that we cannot give his re- 
marks in full. All agreed that his address was one of the 
happiest and most effective delivered on this occasion. 

Prof, Joseph L. Armstrong, A. M., representative 
of Randolph-Macon College at Ashland, was then intro- 
duced. 

PROFESSOR ARMSTRONg\s ADDRESS. 

To the Faculty and Board of Trustees of Roanoke Col- 
lege, the oJunini, the students and friends of the insti- 
tution: 

I bring the congratulations and best wishes of Ran- 
dolph-Macon College upon this occasion of rejoicing. 
One of the older colleges in the State — an old institution, 
as age goes in this country — it has pleasure in reviewing 



with you what you have don^, and in looking forward 
with you tO'the enlarging; feld of usefulness that lies be^ 
fore you: 

Such a tiiTPe, it seems tame, fe propitious for pans- 
kig and- reflecting a moment upon the power inherent in? 
fhe so-called small college. This can^ only be suggested^, 
for the time forbids discuBsrom. 

This is a material age; this generation hungers for 
concrete mianifestations of power; for land, for wealth, for 
armies, far navies; far machinery, buildings, laboratories. 
While a complete, effective eq^uipment for our college has^ 
its valuCj great value that we are strivifig ta compass,, 
there is danger that uiidue emphasis may be placed upon? 
material things^ and danger that we may lose sight of the 
vital force. In the great war vessel — the most wonderful 
combination of machinery and latent forces the v/orld has 
ever seen — in this mighty machinery it is the man upon 
the bridge, the man who controls the lever, the man be- 
hind the gun, that makes the mighty power effective. Is^ 
fhe man incompetent, is he aver- worked, or has he trusted 
to the superior merits of his wonderful equipment, then^, 
when the day of battle comes, when the trial arrives, his 
boasted advantages will fail him; they will drag him down 
to destruction. 

Roanoke has her alumni to whom she points with 
pride, men di power developed in yaur halls in olden 
times. What equipment had you then? Rooms, chairs„ 

benches, and men. Yesterday you had recalled to 

mind the band of devoted professors who occupied your 
chairs in days of privation and struggle, who gave their 
strength, their lives to the work; who encouraged, inspired 
with high aims the youth entrusted to their care. Scan 
the lists of names enrolled in their class-books, and then 
behold the wide range of responsible activities in which 



SE3I1- CENTENNIAL 1 6 7 

are engaged the men who filled the benches In those days, 
consider the noble work so many of them are performing, 
the luster they add to their high positions. Humanity 
benefited, civilization advanced — is it not an achievement 
of which Roanoke may be justly proud? 

What is the secret of this success? Wherein does the 
power lie? It lies in the personal, energizing contact be- 
tween teacher and student, an influence reduced all but 
to zero where the students are numbered by the thous- 
and. It is the soul of man speaking to the soul of man. 
It is the mighty, everlasting truth flashing, like an electric 
spark, from the pole to the pole. The spirit of power 
breathes upon the clay, and lo! it becomes a man; it lives. 
We may erect magnificent buildings; we may equip costly 
laboratories; we may fill shelf upon shelf, case after case, 
till the stacks reach to high heaven; but — but if thatvital 
relation fail, the peculiar power of the small college is 
gone, it has no sphere, and "Mene, mene, tekel, uphar- 
sin," is writ large upon its walls. 

It becomes us, I say again, it becomes us to pause 
and take our bearings. Are we tempted to forsake first 
principles, to seek out new devices? Great institutions 
with Crcesian coffers overshadow us. With tempting fa- 
cilities, with alluring opportunities, they draw the student. 
Our petty thousands, or hundred-thousands, cannot en- 
able us to cope with them. The many-edificed, swarm- 
ing, teeming university, with its millions of money, has 
its part to perform in the world's work; but it can never 
do our part. If we perish, it perishes with us. God grant 
that we be not dazzled by things of sense, that we put our 
trust in mere appurtenances, that we be not blinded to 
the spiritual world! With our small means, which could 
furnish only a ludicrous simulacrum of the great college 
— besides these small means, I had better say — we have an 



168 EOANOKE COLLEGE 

open-sesame to the great things of life, the unseen, but 
eternal verities; and we have our way of approach, our 
channel ofcommunication with the student, no less effective 
than that possessed by the great institution; yea verily, 
more effective, I believe, to the development of character, 
the making of merf. 

Upon our Boards of Trustees lies a heavy responsi- 
bility in the selection of those who shall come in touch 
with the young and growing mind. A man may have 
spent years in preparation, and hold, suinma cmn laude^ 
the highest degree won upon this planet, and yet be un- 
fit for the high calling of teacher. Moreover, it is incum- 
bent upon them to see that the professor is not so over- 
whelmed with labors that this vital, energizing contact 
with the student is impossible, that he may, in daily touch 
with young men, have somewhat to impart; that he may 
come to his work with freshness and vigor, with that cre- 
ative power which shall stimulate new thought in the 
hearer. 

Upon us who teach it is incumbent that we guard 
with jealous care the responsibiHty entrusted to us ; that 
we keep an eye ever fixed upon the peculiar advantage 
possible in the institutions in which we serve. Our great 
danger does not conceal itself in the distraction of such 
questions as "What shall we eat? What shall we drink? 
Wherewithal shall we be clothed?" tho' they may press 
sorely at times. Our danger is far more insidious, far 
more deadly ; it may have spun its bonds about us before 
we are aware of its presence ; and suddenly I may awake 
to the fact that my particular subject has become a fetich 
to me. So soon as a man makes any branch of learning 
an end in itself, and not a means to a higher end, just so 
soon decay has set its mark. Let the human soul and 
its vast, unending possibilities be relegated to a second- 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 1 o 9 

ary place and, no matter what be substituted, his useful- 
ness to his college is past. 

Nor can the student wholly shift responsibility. Does 
the spirit of medievalism still possess him; does he as- 
sume a hostile attitude, or even one of indifterence, to 
the teaching corps, then for him it is no college, to him 
no good can come. He has interposed a barrier between 
himself and that inspiring help which would have added 
power and luster to his life. Let him place himself in 
touch with his instructors, ready to receive the good they 
have to impart, not merely the learning extracted from 
books and apparatus, but also the higher wisdom found 
only in the book of life, and the world will know him for 
helpful words and useful deeds. 

Gentlemen of the Board, Mr. President, and mem- 
bers of the Faculty, we congratulate you upon the ma- 
terial advance made in these fifty years, upon the concep- 
tion of your responsibilities and the spirit with which you 
have discharged them, upon the results accomplished, 
and the promising field before you. 

Professor G. T. Surface, M. S., of Emory and Henry 
College, was then introduced. 

PROFESSOR surface's ADDRESS. 

As the representative of Emory and Henry College, 
a sister institution, both in location and organization, I 
bring you greeting. Our Semi-Centennial Celebration 
convened in 1887, so that in point of years we have passed 
your present land mark, but true ideals are neither old 
nor young, in the embodiment of true v/isdom, which is 
eternal. When Emory and Henry College was strug- 
gling for the promotion of more thorough training, and 
a more enlightened culture, you came to her rescue and 



170 nOAKOKE COLLEGE 

added new leaven to the lump in Southwest Virginia, and 
we may now point with pride to the splendid results of 
both institutions. Other institutions have arisen around 
us, but they are in reality but the representation of the 
new fruitaee from the seed first sown. We do not con- 
sider it necessary to emphasize this natural development, 
for the history of all great movements dates back to 
certain centralized beginnings. We are the representa- 
tives of Christian education in two great churches, both 
of which have been continuous in their growth, and incal- 
culable in their effects ; but the history of your church had 
its genesis and inspiration in the matchless character of 
Luther, and ours in the personage and power of Wesley. 
Let it suffice to say that the natural developments of 
Christian labor emanate from a great central purpose, as 
exemplified in the one perfect man, who is the son of 
God, and that the higher developments in the cultivation 
of the mind are but closely connected with the develop- 
ment of morals, since the history of education was for 
many centuries the history of the Church, and the history 
of the truest education today represents the symmetrical 
development of the mental, moral, spiritual and physical 
man. 

I desire to call your attention briefly to the work of 
our denominational schools as a vital factor in our edu- 
cational system. As has been incidentally mentioned, 
the great schools of the world had their beginning in the 
effort of some one churchman or Church organization. 
This is verified by pointing to the great English, French, 
German and American Universities, such as Oxford and 
Cambridge, Goettingen and Vienna, and Harvard and 
Yale. It is true that in many cases they have passed 
out from church control and church tutelage through the 
large donations of wealthy patrons, but they were not 



' '^jEJ^I- c:EJWTJS]^mAL lYl 

-able to pass out until their splendid work had so im- 
pressed itself upon the friends of the institution as to 
merit their liberal endowment. In most of the schools 
of this class, they have passed from tlie college curricu- 
lum into the university standing. By their side institu- 
tions of paramount facilities have arisen, through the 
patronage and cooperation of rival donors. So rapid 
has been the evolution, so broad the expanse, and so 
brilliant the display, that we may have sometimes felt 
discouraged with our somewhat narrow, limited, and cir- 
cumscribed surroun<iings as -existing in most of the de- 
nominational colleges of this country. Recently popular 
•discussions have arisen as to what place denominational 
schools shall occupy in the educational system. Some 
have been so bold as to presage that they are -destined 
to fill minor places in the great system, which would of 
course mean their ultimate mierging into private and state 
institutions. 

It is altogether practicable to ask, what is the place 
filled by institutions such as ours? Can that place be 
supplanted? And can we afford to relax a single effort? 
We study all questions in the light of themselves and of 
their environment. We are able to arrive at just con- 
clusions with reference to this great question both by 
logfical deduction and practical induction. Mv own 
opinion is that the hope of further progress in Christian- 
ity depends not only on an enlightened conscience, but 
a consecrated mind and hand. This being true, the hope 
of Christianity is in an intellectual culture that conserves 
the purest and most helpful development of the moral 
nature. We get results from influences, and influences 
in the college life come from, whatever constitutes pre- 
cepts and examples within college wallsv The preserva- 
tion of individuality has always augmented the intensity 



172' KOAIfOKE COLLEWM 

of tho Light, and- enlarged the influence. Religiously 
speaking-, the highest preservation of spiritual energy 
and personality is not induced in institutions where em- 
phasizing the individual creed and the personal faith 
would be considered inapt or undesirable, It is, there- 
fore, a self-evident proposition that a denominational 
school consisting largely of individuals of kindred thought 
and sympathetic spirit would give a stronger measure of 
Christian infiuei>ce, and certainly a measure more appa- 
rent than would be found in- what we may term a cosmo- 
politan student and faculty organization. I know that 
most of our institutions of learning are, at least. Chris- 
tian in part, and a study of the statistics seems to show 
that the work of spiritual uplift is increasing, but this 
encouraging development is to be ascribed m a measure 
to special efforts of the Y, M. C. A., which is one of the 
educational branches of laboi', as distinct and specific as 
any individual denamination. That this influence will 
continue to broaden and deepen is believed by all pos- 
sessed of a strong and abiding faith, but it receives its 
greatest inspiration and its most consecrated and effective 
recruits from those institutions holding as their first and 
primary ideal Ckristiait Education. The denominational 
school, therefore, not only has a place in the fundamental 
principles upon which our faith is founded, and our 
church established, but is one of the necessary factors 
for lifting the standard still higher, and for disseminating" 
into the body-mass of the intellectual field heathful seed 
which shall spring up to the production of an hundred 
fold. 

Let me mention rapidly some of the direct and 
forceful influences exerted by our church schools. Firsts 
I would mention the attractive college life to be found 
therein as above indicated, and not to be compared to 



^hat of most of the universities and technical schools of 
the country. Most of them are smaller in attendance, 
:and this makes for the ^preservation of the individual. 
By merging- the individual, we do it at the expense of 
the most healthful social customs and privileges, — where 
the life touches another life under the light of its own 
worth and merit, instead of touching other lives through 
the reflex and friction of clans, classes, and -sects. By 
way of parenthesis, I may say that the larger -attendance 
merges the individual life into a clannish following, in- 
dexed by fraternity standing and class favoritism. We 
•are perfectly frank t-o admit that in no sense do we believe 
such an influence to be favorable to the highest intellect- 
iial and moral development. 

We find on examination that the best training in the 
art of writing and public speaking is to be found in 
denominational schools as a class. For the verification 
of this statement, we need only to take the alumni lists 
of your institution, Randolph-Macon, Hampden-Sidnevv 
Emory and Henry and William and Mary Colleges to be 
amply convinced of the truth of this statement. It is 
true that much is said with reference to the strenuous 
life, and the click and nervous stress of these latter days; 
the imperative dem;and of the practical, and the utter 
futility of following old-time practices, or adhering to 
traditions. So long as we are a social communing people, 
we will be in need of the arts and devices of persuasive 
logic and engaging oratory. We honor the days of Vif- 
ginia's great orators, neither in a sense of tradition-fol- 
lowing nor hero-worship, but because Virginia's great 
orators represented the thought of Virginia's great lead- 
ers, and represented it in such a way as to give it the 
most wholesome and far-reaching influences, which have 
done so much to give «s our present standing as a nation. 



174 ROAROKE CVLLE'G^W 

Your institution emphasizes the importance of cultivating' 
the powers of public speech, and I congratulate you^, 
young gentleman, upon the splendid record of your 
literary societies. 

I have not mentioned the good accruing to the cause. 
of education from; the healthful rivalry existing between 
the different denominational schools. There is a rivalry 
degrading in its^ every impulse and tendency, and such is 
the rivalry emanating from prejudice and conflicting ideas 
of rights and claims. The rivalry of our institutions is,, 
however, a healthful rivalry, in that it neither transgresses; 
nor intrudes, but takes the form of an inspiring emula- 
tion. Each recognizes the right of the other ta his own 
field, but each feels a lifting pride of showing results 
creditable, and whatever advance may be made by one, 
naturally inspires progress in the other. We must admit 
that a friendly rivalry is conducive to the highest devel- 
ment of worthy enterprises, and in almost every case 
the rivalry between denominational schools has been 
altogether friendly. 

The church is an intem-al factor in our civilization, 
or more precisely, civilization is a consequent factor of 
religion. The pulpit is the organ of our faith, the dynamo 
for spiritual propagation, and essential for differentiated 
doctrine. Aside frorn^ the utility of the pulpit as an edu- 
cational factor, it is in a certain sense an educational 
luxury. To the pulpit we look for the revelation of new 
channels of thouofht. We at least should esteem it a 
privilege, cultural as well as elevating, and entertaining 
as well as instructive. If the pulpit is to fulfil its largest 
mission, it must measure up to a high standard of mental 
satisfaction and spiritual edification. For the fulfilment 
of this, it is necessary that we have an educated pulpit. 



SEMI- CENTENNIA L 175 

and by an educated pulpit I do not mean the ability to 
read Greek commentaries, but the power of acute obser- 
vation and apt demonstration, as well as the power of 
logical and philosophical reasoning. If we eliminate the 
church schools, whither shall we go for material fit pre- 
pared for the Master's use in a masterly way ? The large 
per cent of our ministers come from our own schools, 
and an acquaintance with the undergraduate department 
of the different universities will confirm the truth of this 
statement without further questioning. Alarm is ex- 
pressed in some directions as to the depletion of our 
pulpit supplies, but this demand is not ominous, as would 
seem at first thought, since industrial developments have 
been somewhat abnormal during the past five years in our 
immediate section. In the light of this situation, the 
normal amount of ministerial material has not been quite 
equal to the abnormal demand. Our faith need not 
falter. The fountains of wisdom have not dried up : the 
oracles of God have not vanished. Let us possess an 
abiding faith that is consonant and consistent, for the 
fostering of those avenues of instruction outlined b}^ the 
Great Teacher. We should support the Church schools 
loyally and without compromise, if for no other purpose 
than to give to the world an educated ministry. 

There is one part of our social and religious life that 
is in a marked degree influenced by the work of Christain 
institutions which is not organically allied with the schools 
themselves. I refer to the influences brought to bear 
upon the church as a whole through the organized effort 
of our separate institutions and their representatives. 
Our pastors feel the burden of duty resting upon them 
for leading their people into the plain path of duty, rela- 
tive to the educational environment, by which they should 
be surrounded. In such an active campaign the pastors 



176 ROAKOKE COLLEGE 

are not only benefitted immearsurably themselves by 
g^rowing into a fuller realization of the resources and de- 
mands of modern education but in a very special sense 
it becomes a burning theme before their members; and 
thus society is moved upon by a powerful phalanx of 
trained workmen, ardent to perform the duty that is most 
urgent, and swift to be led in the direction that is most 
profitable. The school is therefore a moving and devel- 
oping factor not only in the life of the students, and those 
who have gone out from the institution, but in the na- 
tional life as a whole. Many people need to be dealt 
with patiently, to be made to appreciate the value of this 
education. Not only is the training which comes from 
recognizing the true meaning and spirit of education, of 
value to them, but the demands upon them for the tang- 
ible, material support of the cause is a source of ultimate 
and concrete strengthening. History is more enduring 
than fiction, facts more lasting than sentiment; so is the 
endeavor which couples with it a sacrifice more potent 
than that which comes by chance. We need organized 
effort in all the departments of progress. The church 
needs this organized effort alonor consecrated educational 
lines, lest she be divorced too much from the spiritual, to 
the material, for the expressions of mind are midway be- 
tween those of the heart and those of the hand. The 
one will cast us into a weak and non-purposeful spirit- 
ualism, and the other will land us upon the ulterior ex- 
treme of ''materialism. Intellectual culture does not in- 
volve nor conduct to estrangement from the highest 
principle, nor from most acceptable devotion. Higher 
criticism carries with it no terror while founded upon 
the solid foundation of more precise investigation, and 
examined under the searchlight of a conscience inquiring 
after the highest truth. Let us, therefore not be unduly 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 177 

alarmed at the innovation outcrops of opinion such as 
are occasional in our denominational institutions. 

The church school has come to stay. When it is no 
more, the church will have consolidated icito a solid com- 
bine, ranging somewhere in its creed between moralism 
and a rationalism of m.aterial interpretation. Both of 
these results as primary are contrary to our orthodox 
belief Morality is imperative, but incidental to the re- 
generate life. Scientific interpretation is but the natural 
landscape of an acute mental eyesight. It has never had 
an element of true revelation antagonistic to a rational 
interpretation of the Bible, for all truth is of God, and 
God is the truth. We fill a place which cannot be filled 
otherwise, and in supporting our institutions, we should 
do it generously, because there is no investment which 
can bring with it more satisfying results, if we esteem 
the dividends of the life beautiful as above those of sor- 
did financial gain. 

Professor Samuel C. Mitchell, M. A., Ph. D., of 
Richmond College, was then introduced. 

PROFESSOR MITCHELL'S ADDRESS. 

What enchantment of scenery, poetic lore, and he- 
roic endeavor hovers over the shores ot Lake Como, 
nestling in the lower stretches of the Italian Alps! 
Mont Blanc overwhelms the mind by the sheer majesty 
of its awful grandeur ; but not so with the landscape of 
Como, all whose charms are so richly human and mellow 
as to glide instinctively into our inmost feelings. Who 
that has witnessed such scenes can ever be divorced in 
thought from them ? How often does one turn back to 
the glories that gather about the town of Como, tucked 
shyly away behind a mountain at the Southern end of this 



178 nOAKOKE COLLEGE 

purpling sheet of water ! I am thinking now, however, 
not of the Plinys, not of the Garibaldis, whose presence 
greets us there ; but of Volta, who was the first to make 
and measure electricity generated by chemical action. 
For this he was deservedly given honors by Napoleon 
and statues by his native city. What should then be the 
reward of the institution, or the man who could deter- 
mine for us the voltage of spirit, who could tell of its 
genesis and put into our hand its divining rod ? Such is 
the mission of the school — the voltage of spirit. It is 
spirit that gives significance to all that a man plans and 
does, just as crystalization lends symmetry and beauty 
to the rock. Our ultimate test of the preacher is neither 
his erudition nor his eloquence, but what manner of man 
he is. We toy with his words and sentiments simply as 
a means of finding out his spirit. After all, the real mes- 
sage, the only message of the speaker is his spirit ; 
phrases be they polished as those of Everett or jerky 
as those of Cromwell, are but the wires to conduct this 
electricity of one's own personality to all who listen. 

What attaches to my friend ? Not any wealth, 
learning or practical ability that he may happen to have. 
All these are good, but many men have them in abund- 
ance to whom I am not in the least drawn. What then? 
It is his spirit, indefinable as it is potent, making an at- 
mosphere in which I delight to breathe and grow, as the 
plant responds to the sun. The tokens of this spirit con- 
stitute our lastinor work : 

o 

" That best portion of a good man's life, 
His little nameless, imremembered acts 
Of kindness and of love." 

To the same effect are the words of the wise man : " Keep 
thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of 
life." The final lesson imparted by the teacher is himself. 



The dullest student n-ev^r forgets the import of that 
lesson. 

Spirit is stronger than organization. An able mili- 
tary critic says that it was -fiot the Roitian army that con- 
quered Gaul, but Julius Caesar. Better an army of stags 
led by a lion than an army of lions led by a stag. For 
it is the esprit de corps that works wonders, whether in 
war or in the school. The first thing for the father to 
consider, in sending his son to college, is not the wealth, 
material facilities, or numbers of an institution, but rather 
its atmospheric condition ; for by this his son will be more 
vitally affected than by all these other things. It is en- 
chanting to me to behold the golden setting physically in 
which Roanoke College is placed, and it is a higher joy 
to know that the spirit within corresponds to the beauty 
■without. What an unspeakable source of strength and 
delight it must be to President Dreher, in retiring from 
the presidency of such an institution, to feel that he has, 
^during the quarter of a century of his term of office, had 
much to do with moulding the spirit that prevails here. 
Can there be a higher work than to plant, or radically 
affect, a college? Future generations, blessed by his 
labors and wisdom and sacrifice, will pay a tribute to his 
memory in keeping with the ever-expanding forces, men- 
tal and spiritual, proceeding from this center, which he 
has done so much to strengthen and enrich. He will 
share in the immortality that inheres in the influences of 
such an institution of learning as this, standing as it does 
for the spirit of truth. 

It is noteworthy that Christ promised his followers 
not only truth, but also the spirit of truth. Is there a 
difference? Are they not related somewhat as a fact and 
a state of mind ? Which is more important for the stu- 
dent to gain from his teacher, a positive acquirement of 



rso^ ROANOKE COLLEGE 

informatiaa or a mind imbued with passionate love for 
the truth ? The first is like the gift of a bottle of water 
to a man living in the desert, the latter is the gushing 
fountain, which you teach that ever-recurriiigly thirsty 
ma>n to opea up for himself in the ground beneath his 
feet. How corrective and suggestive are the words of 
Jesus to those cavillers, who tried to wrest the literal 
meaning of his words into absurdity: "k is the spirit 
that quickenetb; the flesh profiteth nothing/' Should 
not that sentence act as the divine solvent upon all cast- 
iron literalisms in the prc^ess of truth? When Jesus 
was endeavoring to m^ake known to the crass mind of 
the Samaritan woman the nature of God, and to detach. 
His exalted being from race prejudice and local pride,, 
he said, gathering into one word the essential attributes 
of Deity : " God is a spirit." 

Professor Richard H. Hudnall, A. M., Ph. D., of the 
Virginia Polytechnic Institute, was then introduced,. 

PROFESSOR hudn:all''s address.. 

Mr. Preside7it, Members of the Board of Trustees, Ladies: 

and Gefitlemen: 

Coming a« I do from a sister institution of learning 
in a neighboring county, almost in elbow touch with your 
little city of peace and your great literary centre, it is but 
natural indeed that I should crave utterance for that thrill 
and pride which I feel tonight in this Semi-Centennial 
Celebration; and it is but natural, too, that I should con- 
fess to a feeling of peculiar pleasure and delight in being 
honored among the participants on this splendid occasion 
of fond memories and glorious hopes. 

The Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg has 
watched with keenest interest the growth and develop- 



^ment of Roanoke College, sorrowing in her reverses and 
^^lorying in her successes; and the Institute rejoices in 
:the opportunity of uniting with you tonight in fittingly 
^commemorating your glorious achievements of half a cen- 
tury. It is the modest mission of the tepresentative of 
the Virginia Polytechnic Institute to bring to you frater- 
nal greetings, heafty congratulations, an expression of 
renewed fellowship, and to bear to you a message of 
good will for the future. While our lines for wofk have 
-been varied to some extent, yet our larger aims and in- 
terests have been one, so to speak, and the common pur- 
pose of us all has been the enlargement, uplifting, and 
•betterment of the youth of our land.. 

As we view the educational situation of today we 
find much to inspire courage and hope; two tendencies, 
however, are tt) be noted which need to be carefully 
•watched and considered if we are to secure the best re 
suits. The first of these is the undue haste shown in 
some lines of educational work. We live in a progress- 
ive age, it is true. Our individual and natiop.al life is 
daily throbbing. Young men, anxious to " get into life," 
are clamorinor for shorter courses, and coileofes North 
and South are responding to the demand. Latin and 
Greek, so important as a means af culture and discipline, 
are here and there being displaced; fandamental courses 
are being greatly abridged. The cry for early specializa- 
tion is everywhere heard. It should not be forgotten that 
generalization should precede specialization. A man is 
all the better specialized for being broad in learning and 
sympathy. The Latin phrase 'Testina lente " (make 
haste slowly) is full of suggestive and wholesome advice. 
A noted French surgeon advised his students in operat- 
ing not to be in a hurry, for there was no time to lose. 
A second tendency to be observed is that of und\ily exalt- 



l^f/ nOAROKK (JOLLITGW 

ing the materialistic spirit. The age is a pushing, pro^- 
gressive, practical one. ''An^acre in Middlesex is worths 
a principality in Utopia" is the maxim of the time. What: 
shall we build? What sort of machine shall we construct? 
What shall be its capacity and power? How much wealtb 
\\\ a given tinie will it produce? These are the signifi- 
cant questions rather than, what shall we put upon can- 
vas for the study and admiration of the Vv^orld? What 
figure shall we carve from- the marble? What shall we 
record in immortal verse? Today we need the artist as- 
well as the artisan:. In this absorbing age of materialism 
we need the restraining and helpful influence of a new 
idealism. We are to work not only .with ideas but to- 
ward great ideals, " Hitch your wagon to^ a star" is the 
Emersonian doctrine. 

Education, is a many-sided thing. The whole man 
is to be developed. His artistic, aesthetic, moral and 
ethical nature must likewise be attended to. Says Mon- 
tague: *' We have not to train up a soul, nor yet a body,, 
but a man, and we cannot divide him." Light in the 
head, heat in the heart, skill in the hand — this is educa- 
tion. " To develop in each individual all the properties 
of which he is susceptible is," according to- Immannuel 
Kant, ''the object of education." Herbert Spencer well 
says, '' To prepare us for complete living is the function 
v/hich education has to discharge." It has been wisely 
said " The world needs today not more men, but more 

The ultimate end and purpose then of our efforts is to 
educate the zvJiole man, and the whole man is to be a 
holy man. Education, therefore, is as Cardinal Newman 
has said, *' a high word; " yes it is a sacred term of deal- 
ing with man m.ade in the image of his Creator^ and with 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 1 83 

God-given talents and faculties. Education is not only a 
leading out, but a leading upwards as well; it has height 
as well as depth. Education means "training up as 
vines are trained up poles. ' Train up a child in the 
way he should go.'" After all; education is character- 
work, eternity work. Our education must then be cul- 
tural, philanthropic, beneficent, inspirational and salva- 
tional. 

The highest ideal in true education is reached when 
the human being is prepared for hearty and harmonious 
co-operation with the divine. What an ennobled and 
sublime conception it is of bringing God and man, heaven 
and earth together! Emerson once wrote: "The cur- 
rents of the Universal Being circulate through me; some 
part or particle of God." When that memorable essay 
on "Nature" appeared in 1836, the question as to the 
authorship was at once asked, and there came the reply, 
" God and Ralph Waldo Emerson." How striking in- 
deed is the inscription on the great granite boulder that 
marks the resting place of the " Sage of Concord : " 

"The passive master lent his hand 
To the vast soul that o'er him planned." 

Kepler, the "Legislator of the Heavens," is said to 
have exclaimed in a moment of enthusiasm, "Oh God, 
I think thy thoughts after thee." 

It was Mrs. Browning who voiced the sentiment: 

"There's a heaven upon earth, 
And every bush aflame with God," 

and Tennyson who sang; "Our wills are ours, to make 
them thine." 

If we are to expect "great things " in the future, let 
us attempt great things, always working towards the 
very highest ideals. If we are to reap a rich harvest, let 



184 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

us sow the best seed, for whatsoever we sow, that shall 
we also reap. 

*' There are loyal hearts, there are spirits brave, 
There are souls that are pure and true; 
Then give to the world the best you have, 
And the best shall come back to yon." 

THURSDAY— COMMENCEMENT DAY. 
ADDRESSES BY GRADUATES. 

At lo A. M. on Thursday, June ii, the procession 
formed in order at the Court House and, preceded by 
the Salem Band, marched to the auditorium. A large 
audience agfain assembled. The faculty, trustees, Gov- 
ernor Montague, President Dabney, invited guests, and 
members of the graduating class were seated on the plat- 
form. 

Prayer was ofTered by Rev. James Bryson Greiner, 
D. D. (class of '6i), Rural Retreat, Va. 

President Dreher introduced the representatives of 
the graduating class, who spoke in the following order: — 

Viroil Greiner Copenhaver, Adwolf, Va. — subject — 
'* Ulititarian Trend of Education." 

Kiusic Soho Kinim, Seol, Korea — subject — '' Russia 
in the Far East." 

Herman Paul Mann, Cumberland, Md. — subject — 
*' Religion in Education." 

Littell Gwinn McClung, Salem, Va. — subject — " The 
Louisiana Purchase." 

Errell Hogan Orear, Coal, Mo. — subject — ''Co-op- 
eration in Church Activity." 

These addresses were vf ell-prepared, forcibly deliv- 
ered, and favorably received 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 1 85 

In introducing Governor Montague President Dreher 
extended to him a most cordial welcome and assured him 
that the authorities of the College appreciated the honor 
of his presence as the Chief Executive of the State and 
that they were also grateful for such an expression of his 
interest in the Jubilee Celebration of the College. On 
being introduced the Governor was received with great 
applause. 

[It is sincerely regretted that Governor Montague 
has not been able to furnish the Committee a copy of his 
able address or to reproduce it substantially for this pub- 
lication. The report printed below is taken from The 
Salem Sentinel, published on the day on vv^hich the 
Governor spoke.] 

GOVERNOR Montague's address. 

"The special feature of graduation day was the 
speech by His Excellency the Governor of Virginia. 
Mr. Montague is a deep thinker and a polished orator. 
His words were greeted with rounds of applause from 
the vast audience. He spoke upon the educational con- 
ditions of the State fifty years ago, the change that 
occurred for the better at that time, Roanoke's heroic 
stand throughout the horrors of civil strife, and the new 
start, the new life she took upon herself at the close of 
that conflict. The war changed the face of the whole 
educational system, and transferred the opportunities from 
the classes to the masses. Our State has begun to take 
the lead in free schools as she always has done in higher 
education. 'The end and purpose of every good demo- 
cratic government is to give every individual man the 



186 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

opportunity to become the wisest, the best, the most 
honest and energetic it is possible for man to become. 
Conditions have been revolutionized in the South. We 
must meet this change by the education of the masses of 
our people, — the white man first; and neither white nor 
black should have education faster than he can digest it. 
* * * The intellect is not dominant and supreme in 
the human mind; the emotions, if untrained, will ride 
triumphant over the intellect. Let us have a full, a prac- 
tical, education. Every man standeth or falleth according 
to his merit and ability. Let education strive to m.ake 
man better and more useful. * * Happiness consists 
not in avoiding, but in overcoming, difficulty. "^ '^ 
You cannot measure service with conscience, by a money 
price.' The Governor in closing tendered his congratu- 
lations to the College, and to its retiring President, and 
all connected with the institution, for long years of faith- 
ful efficient work in the service of the Old Dominion." 

President Dreher expressed the great pleasure it 
gave the trustees and faculty to have present one who 
had distinguished himself in the cause of higher educa- 
tion and had done so much to forward the recent mov^e- 
ment for improved educational facilites in the South. 
He was, therefore very happy to introduce President 
Charles W. Dabney, L L. D., of the University of Tenn-' 
essee* 

PRESIDENT dabney' S ADDRESS. 

[Much to the regret of the committee, President 
Dabney has not been able to furnish a copy of his schol- 
arly and able address, or even to reproduce it in outline 
for this publication. His theme was the development of 




HOX. A. J. MONTAGUE. 



GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA. 




( IIAKLES W. DABNEY, LL. D. 

j';;k,sjj)kmt t>v ruy. university of Tennessee. 



educational theory and practice during the last fifty years, 
the period of Roanoke's history, and the many changes 
in method and ideal in the higher education since the 
College was founded. The distinguished speaker made 
•an earnest plea for education on bread lines, and for such 
an expansion of educational facilities and opportunities 
as would bring some of the broader forms ©f culture 
within the reach of all.] 

During the exercises the Minister Plenipotentiary 
•from Korea to the United States, Mr. Min Hiu Cho, ar.d 
the Secretary of the Legation, Mr. Seang Ku Ye, 
■arrived, having been delayed by a belated train. They 
were escorted to seats on the platform, and President 
Dreher extended to them a very cordial welcome and 
assured them of the warm interest felt by the Faculty in 
the education of Koreans, a number of whom had alread)^ 
been students at the College, the one graduating at this 
time being the second to take the degree of Bachelor of 
Arts at Roanok<s, 

CONFERRING Or riEG'REES. 

By authority of the Tfust-ees, President Dreher com 
f erred degfrees as follows ^ 

o 

BACHELOR OF ARTS. 

On the members of th^ graduating class ' 
John Floyd Cook, Centennial, W. Va. 
Virgil Greiner Copenhaver, Adwolf, Va. 
Reuben Hansen, Chicago, 111. 
Albert Kerr Heckel, Alleghany, Pa. 
Kiusic Soho Kimm, Seoul, Kofea. 
Herman Paul Mann, Cumberland, Md. 
Wilbur Chemnitz Mann, Cumberland, Md. 



im ROANOKE COLLEGE 

Littell Gvvrinn McGlung, Salem, Va. 
Errell Hogan Orear, Coal, Mo. 
Delmer Neal Pope, Croft, N. C. 

MASTER OF ARTS. 

Johft David Mauney, A. B. (class of '02), Kings 
Mountain, N. C. 

Rev. Charles William Rufus Kegley, A. B. (class of 
'98), Wilmington, N. C. 

MASTER OF ARTS (hONORIS CAUSA.) 

Henry Johnston Darnall, Adjunct Professor of Mod- 
ern Languages, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 
Tenn. 

Rev. Frederick Goodwin Ribble, Professor in the 
Bishop Payne EKvinity School, Petersburg, Va. 

DOCTOR OF DIVINITY. 

Rev, Luther Leigh Smith, A. M. (class of 'T'jX Presi- 
dent of the Board of Missious of the United Synod, 
Strasburg, Va. 

Rev. Matthew Brewster, A. M. (class of '81), Rector 
of Christ's Episcopal Church, Mobile, Ala. 

Rev. Melanchthon Gideon Groseclose Scherer, A. 
M. (class of *8i), Professor in the Lutheron Theological 
Seminary, Mt. Pleasant, S. C. 

Rev. Henry Neidig Fegley, A. M. (University of 
Pennsylvania, class of '69), Professor in Irving College, 
Mechanicsburg, Pa. 

Rev. James Wilson Bixler, A. M. (Amherst College, 
class of '82), pastor of the Second Congregational 
Church, New London, Conn. 

DOCTOR OF LAWS. 

Hon. William Rush Day, A. M., Associate Justice 



ciEMl- CENTENKIAL 1^1 

of the Supreme Court of the United States, Washing- 
ton, D. C. 

Martin Parks Burks, A. B., B. L., Professor of law 
in Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va. 

AWARD OF PRIZES AND DISTINCTIONS. 

The Junior Prize Scholarship in English was awarded 
to Miss Willie Gates Moffett, of Salem, Va., and was 
presented by Dr. Chas. W. Kent, of the University of 
Virginia. 

The Trustees Medal in Mathematics to Reverdy 
Elie Kieeny, of Woodsboro, Md. — presented by Prof. 
Wm. M. Graybill, of Roanoke, Va. 

The Faculty Medal in Greek to Ralph Roy Richard, 
of Lovettsville, Va.— presented by Prof. J. L. Armstrong 
('72-74), of Randolph-Macon College. 

The Literary Societies Medal in Oratoiy, contested 
for on Monday night, to Vv'^ilbur Chemnitz Mann, of 
Cumberland, Md. — presented by Rev. C. Armand Miller 
(class of '87), of New York city. 

FIRST DISTINCTIONS. 

Annie Marie Davis, Salem, Va. 

Reuben Alonzo Goodman, Amity, N. C. 

George Gose Peery, Graham, Va. 

Paul Wayne Ritchie, Washington, D. C 

Frisby Davis Smith, Bloom, Va. 

Wade Hampton Stemple, Carmel, W^ Va, 

SECOND DISTINCTION. 

Henry Matthew Bandy, Salem, Va. 
Charles Clinton Broy, Sperryville, Va. 
Harry Franklin Coffelt, Jadwyn, Va. 
James Ira Coiner, Waynesboro, Va. 



im ROANOKE' GOLLEOm 

Julia Ethelyn^ Crabtree, Salem, Va. ] 

Claudine Ferguson, Salemv Va. 

Charles Clifford Grove, Saiem; Va. 

Marion David Huddle, Rural Retreat, Va*:. 

James Alfred Croek^ett Hurt, Salem, Va. ' 

Earl Conway Iden^ Bloomiield, Va. 

Reverdy Elte Kieeny, Woodsboro, Md. ; 

Kiusic Soho Kimm, Seoulv Korea. 

Elmore Walstine Leslie, Safem^, Va. 

George GSbert Ludwig, Mooresville, N. C. 

Herman Paul Mann, Cumberland, Md. 

Wilbur Cbemnkz Mann^^ Cumberland, Md. 

Charles Edward Masork, Jett, Ky. 

Willie Gates Moffett, Safem; Va" 

Err ell Hogan Orear, Coal, Mo. 

Laura Holland Painter, Salem, Va. 

Harley Augustus Scott, Concord, N. C. 

Stanley Pulliam Shugert, Charles Town, W. Vav 

Cephas Switzer, Zion Hill, Va. 

ATsfN-OUNCEM-ENTS. 

President D^eher made the following announce- 
ments: 

That by authority af the Board of Trustees certifi- 
cates af the completion of the course of study would be 
issued as follows.-: 

In the course for the degree of Bachelor of Arts to 

Claudine Fergusc^n, Salem, Va. 

In the course for the degree of Master o-f i\rts to 

Mabel Killian Bowman, Salem, Va. 

Nellie Moselle Clive, Springwood, Va. 

Belle Grey Folks, Salem, Va. 

Elizabeth Trimble Painter, Salem, Va. 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL 193 

That John Nicholas Ambler, A. M., Acting Steere 
Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy, had been pro- 
moted to be full Professor in that department; and that 
Frederick Bittle Kegley, A. M. (class of 1900), Tutor in 
the College for the past year had been appointed Instruc- 
tor in Ancient Languages for next session. 

The students of this fiftieth session were warmly 
commended for the remarkable record they had made for 
good order and faithful work. 

President Dreherthen spoke substantially as follows; 

PRESIDENT DREHER's REMARKS. 

Although the purpose of resigning at the end of my 
twenty-fifth year in the Presidency of Roanoke College 
was formed several years ago, and although the Trustees 
were formally notified of this purpose on March 27th of 
this year, I still hoped that my resignation would not 
become generally known until it was officially announced 
by the Trustees. Now that it is already known, how- 
ever, that my resignation was accepted on last Monday 
evening, the 8th inst., I need have no hesitation in re- 
ferring to it. I have no intention whatever of making a 
valedictory address at this time ; indeed, after spending 
so many years of my life in the College and town, thirty- 
two as a member of the Faculty and twenty-five as Presi- 
dent, it will be hard to say farewell, and I may well post- 
pone that painful task, since my resignation is not to take 
effect at once. To-day I do not care to refer to myself 
or my work, but I do wish to speak out of a full heart 
and long experience some words for my successor. Dr. 
John Alfred Morehead, a graduate of Roanoke, of the 
class of 1887, has been unanimously elected to succeed 
me ; and as he is a man in whom I kave the utmost con- 



194 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

fidence, a man of a noble and generous spirit, who will 
not hesitate to make any sacrifice necessary tor the 
success of the College, I sincerely hope that he may 
accept the position to which he has been called. As no 
man can succeed in such a work as this without co-op- 
eration, I bespeak for my successor, whoever he may be, 
cordial and general co-operation in the difficult task 
of building up the College. As the town is so largely 
benefited by the institution and owes so much to it, the 
new President ought to have the support and co-opera- 
tion of the people of Salem. There is something in- 
spiring in working for the public good in a friendly and 
encouraging atmosphere. As a matter of course, a Presi- 
dent must have the cordial, united, and unwavering 
support of the Faculty ; for without this, in spite of his 
best efforts and most heroic self-sacrifice, the work will 
not be permanently successful. He must have the support 
ilso of the Board of Trustees, the legal custodians of the 
institution. A College is not an institution to make 
money or serve selfish ends, but to render noble service 
for the welfare of the public. Hence the money given 
to the College for endowment is a sacred trust for the 
public good, and the Trustees should appreciate their 
responsibilities in discharging the high trust committed 
to them. They should not only give to the President of 
the College their moral support, wise counsel, and cordial 
co-operation, but they should also recognize the obliga- 
tion to contribute of their own means, as they may be 
able, for the upbuilding of the institution. It is to be 
expected that the graduates and former students of a 
college will always stand ready to promote its best in- 
terests in every possible way. 

At the end of fifty years Roanoke has a host of old 
students, scattered throughout our own country and also 



!SEMI~ (JENTENNIAL 1 95 

in foreign lands, who ought to rally around their Alma 
Mater, now entering upon her second half century of 
useful service. These old students can do much to 
encourage the new President in his arduous labors, and 
I hope they will not fail to give him their active and con 
stant co-operation. Besides all these I have mentioned, 
there is yet a large circle of friends on whom the new 
executive must rely for help in strengthening the College 
for better work in the coming years. If the co-operation 
for which I plead most earnestly is given to my successor 
and the College enters upon a new era of prosperity and 
usefulness, then indeed will my hope be realized and my 
prayer answered. 

The benediction was pronounced by Rev. Dr. 
Greiner. 



PRESIDENT DREHER'S RECEPTION. 

In the afternoon of Commencement Day, from four 
to six, President Dreher held a reception in honor of 
Governor Montague and other guests in the handsomely 
decorated College Library — a very largely attended and 
successful function. Those who came to pay their re- 
spects were introduced by Colonel A. M. Bowman and 
Professor H. T. Hildreth, Ph. D., of the Reception Com- 
mittee. On President Dreher's rio^ht stood the Governor, 
the Korean Minister and Secretary, and President Dab- 
ney. Next came the ladies who assisted in receiving, 
Mesdames S. C. Wells, H. E. Blair, A. M. Bowman, H. 
T. Hildreth, L. A. Fox, and \V. A. Smith. Mesdames 
W. F. Morehead, J. N. Ambler, W. W. Moffett, and L. 
McReynolds and Misses Margaret Painter and Janet Fer- 
guson served the refreshments in the Reference Library, 



196 ROANOKE COLLEGIA 

Mrs. George W. Holland, of Newberry, South Carolina, 
and Mrs. W. C. Pendleton, of Tazewell, Virginia (daugh- 
ters of the first President of the College), and Mrs. Chas. 
W. Dabney, of Knoxville, Tennessee, received marked 
attention. 

It seemed to be the general opinion that this recep- 
tion was one of the most delightful features of the Semi- 
centennial Celebration. Although given in honor of 
the Governor and other guests of the College, it served 
also to mark the close of the twenty-fifth year of Dr. 
Dreher's presidency. 



o 
> 



CD 





APPENDIX 



/ 



Most of the matter in this Appendix 
is reprinted, sHghtly revised, from the 
Roaitoke Collegimt for June, 1903. 



APPENDIX. 



RESIGNATION OF PRESIDENT DREHER. 

The announcement during Commencement week of Dr. Julius 
D. Dreher's resignation as president of Roanoke College, came as 
genuine surprise and was a source of sincere regret both to his 
own friends and to all interested in the College. Although his 
resignation had been in the hands of the trustees since last March, 
it was not finally acted upon and accepted until the annual meet- 
ing of the board on June 8th, and the general public had till then 
received no intimation of his purpose to lay down the work to 
which he had devoted so many years of distinguished and unselfish 
service. His life and work have been so intimately associated 
with the College that it seemed only right and proper that he 
should remain permanently to direct the affairs of the institution. 

Dr. Dreher is a native of Lexington county, S. C, where he 
was born October 28, 1846. Pie was graduated from Roanoke 
College in the class of 1871. Immediately after his graduation, 
he became a member of the faculty, and served his Alma Mater 
successively as instructor, professor of English, and financial 
secretary. In 1878, on the resignation of Rev. T. W. Dosh, D. 
D., from the presidency, it was felt by the trustees that Dr. Dre- 
her's character and training marked him as the one peculiarly fitted 
to direct the fortunes of the institution. He was therefore elected 
president and at once entered upon his duties. Since then an ac- 
count of his life is also an account of the growth and expansion of 
Roanoke. He found the College loaded with debt, without en- 
dowment, without a library building, and with a small corps of 
instructors. He leaves it free from debt, with a good endowment 
fund, with a fine library building containing 22,000 volumes, with 
a faculty strengthened and enlarged, and with courses of study 
expanded and equipments generally improved. During the 
twenty-five years of his presidency the College has received, main- 
ly through his untiring efforts, quite a large sum of money in 
bequests for endowment and scholarships, and in gifts for cun-ent 
expenses from year to year and for the enlargement and improve- 
ment of the college property, and finally the substantial work of 
remodeling the buildings by contributions from graduates and 
former students. More than three-fifths of the graduates of the 
College have received their diplomas from his hands. While 
President Dreher has devoted his energies mainly to the work of 
Roanoke College, his interest in the cause of education generally 
is shown by his published addresses on various educational topics. 



2t2 ROANOKE COLLEGE 



As a member of the committee which called the first Conference 
for Education in the South at Capon Springs, W. V., in 1898, he 
helped to organize what has become one of th» most important 
educational movements in the South. He has also taken much 
interest in the library movement in the South. In 1881, Williams 
College conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctor of Phi- 
losophy. 

Here and elsewhere President Dreber's host of friends can not 
fail to be highly gratified at the many beautiful tributes paid by 
so many of the commencement speakers both to his own character 
and to his distinguished services for the institution. Heartfelt 
words of praise and regret were uttered not only by the Roanoke 
men, but also by Governor Montague, President Dabney, Presi- 
dent Denny, and by other representatives of our sister institutions. 
Many flattering notices appreciative of his services have appeared 
in the public press North and South. In all these expressions 
both of praise and regret his many friends here and throughout 
the country will most heartily unite. The Faculty and the Board 
of Trustees also adopted resolutions expressive of their apprecia- 
tion of President Dreher's services to the College. 

President Dreher's resignation was not due to any sudden im- 
pulse or new conditions at the College, but was in accordance with 
a purpose formed several years ago to retire at the end of his twen- 
ty-fifth year. His plans for the future have not yet been made pub- 
lic, but as he was only thirty-two when called to the presidency, 
(though in point of service he is now the senior college president 
in Virginia), he is yet too young to retire from active life. 
Wherever he goes he will be followed by the best wishes of his 
friends at the College and throughout the country. 

As President Dreher's resignation was accepted to take effect 
not later than September 1st, and as he has yielded to the urgent 
request of Dr. Morehead to remain in his present position as long 
as possible, he will continue in oflace until that date, when the new 
president will take charge. 



PRESIDENT MOREHEAD. 

It has already been announced through the press that Dr. John 
Alfred Morehead, of the class of '89, was unanimously elected 
president of Roanoke College by the trustees at their annual meet- 
ing on June 8th. As he gave formal notice of his acceptance on 
the 26th of June, it seems proper to say something here of his 
qualifications for his new duties. 

John Alfred Morehead was born near Dublin, in Pulaski 
County, Virginia, Feb. 4, 1867. He is one of five sons of Mr. 
James W. Morehead, all of whom are alumni of Roanoke, this be- 




PRESIDENT JOHN ALFRED MOREHEAD, A. M., D. D. 

ELECTED JUNE 8TH 1903. 



8EMI -CENTENNIAL 205 



ing the largest number of graduates of the College in one family. 
He graduated at Roanoke College with honor in J 889, taking the 
degree of Bachelor of Arts and receiving that of Master of Arts 
five years later. During the session of 1889-90 he taught in the 
College so acceptably that he was asked to continue in the work ; 
but, feeling called to the gospel ministry, he entered the Mt. Airy 
Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, from which he graduated 
in 1892. On October 6th, of that year, he married Miss Nellie 
Fisher, of Wythe county, Va. He served the Lutheran congrega- 
tion in Burke's Garden, Va. , for two years and a half and was 
then called to Richmond, where he did four years, of highly suc- 
cessful work. While only thirty-one years of age he was tendered, 
ia 1898, the position of President of the Theological Seminary of 
the United Synod at Mt. Pleasant, near Charleston, S. C. In this 
position he has shown marked ability not only as an inspiring 
instructor, but also as an efiicient worker in strengthening the Sem- 
inary financially and otherwise. When it became known that the 
presidency of Roanoke College had been tendered to him, the 
strong efforts made by friends of the Seminary to induce him to 
remain there gave most striking proof of the high value placed on 
his services. While appreciating his work there the friends of 
Roanoke could not help urging upon him the consideration that 
the position tendered him here w^ould open to him a field of wider 
influence and greater usefulness. 

As a student and an instructor in his Alma Mater, as a pas- 
tor and a professor of theology, as well as by wide reading and 
observation, Dr. Morehead has become impressed vvith the great 
importance of Christian education. He has not confined his studies 
and reading within the sphere of his particular work, but he has 
read much besides in general literature, history, sociology, ethics, 
and on educational topics. The advantage of travel and study 
abroad in 1901-02, still further • widened his horizon, so that he 
has learned to take a broad and comprehensive view of human 
life and of education in its relation to the progress of Christian 
civilization; and we may feel confident that he will want Roanoke 
to do its full share of work for both church and state. In recog- 
nition of Professor Morehead's scholarly attainments, his Alma 
Mater conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity on him in 1902. 
He is one of the youngest men ever thus honored by the College. 

It must be regarded as remarkable, if not providential, that 
the faculty and trustees could all unite on one man and pledge 
him their cordial support and co-operation. Dr. Morehead has the 
confidence also of the graduates, ex-students, and friends of the 
College generally. He will need all the co-operation promised in 
order to succeed in the ardous work he is about to undertake. To 
a man of his generous and self-sacrificing spirit, the difficulties of 
the position made a strong appeal for his acceptance. Now in his 



2^C ROAKOKE COLLEGE 



thirty-sixth year, in the full vigor of physical and intellectual man- 
hood, he has before him a great opportunity to do an important 
work in the cause of Christian education. A man of fine presence, 
of engaging manners, of earnest piety, and thorough consecration, 
he will no doubt win the hearts of the students and make friends 
for Roanoke wherever he may go. That he may always have the 
co-operation necessary to the highest success of the College should 
be the wish and prayer of every one really interested in the wel- 
fare of Roanoke. 

J. D. D. 



ROANOKE'S FIFTY YEARS. 

In the life of an institution fifty years is not a long period ; 
but it is time enough in which to develop the spirit of a college 
and to show whether there is a place for it in the domain of higher 
education. Judged by the work accomplished in the midst of ob- 
stacles, and mainly without endowment, Roanoke has certainly 
made a remarkable record and has won an enviable reputation. 
Comparing our fifty years with a like period in the history of 
many older and even stronger colleges, we find reason to be grati- 
fied that Roanoke has done so well, considering her humble be- 
ginning and the difficulties in the way of achieving success. What 
college of the same rank ever lived through its first three decades 
without a dollar of income from endowment, and did so much 
good work in the face of so many obstacles and so much competi- 
tion ? What college of its size to-day in any part of our country 
has a more scholarly faculty ? In the South, is there a single other 
college, not supported by the state, which has better library facili- 
ties ? With a strong faculty and a good working library a college 
has the two things most necessary to give a liberal education and 
fit young men for lives of useful service. That Roanoke is giving 
such training may be seen from the high standing of her graduates 
in universities and professional schools and in the professions 
and other vocations of actual life. 

The advantages of Roanoke have been recognized and appre- 
ciated. Students have been enrolled from some twenty-five states 
of the Union and from a number of foreign countries. In fact 
Roanoke is the most cosmopolitan college in the South. The 
graduates, now numbering 520, may be found laboring in about 
thirty states and territories and in a number of foreign lands. The 
partial course men, more than 2,000, are scattered throughout our 
country and the world. If we had statistics to show how much 
work all these have done we would then better appreciate what 
Roanoke has accomplished in fifty years. We cannot do better 
than to close this brief statement by reproducing here part of an 



n'BMl-C^NTENRlAL Hoi 



'editorial on the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the College, from the 
CJoLLEGiAN for June, 1878, as follows : 

"But, as from the eminence of the past, we look back over 
the fields already won and the suc<;ess already achieved, let us re- 
member that our work is only begun — that we are building for the 
coming centuries, for all time, for eternity I If, satisfied with the 
success of the past and the pi'O^perity of the present, we relax our 
efforts and fold our hands, then our very success and prosperity 
will prove our greatest curse. Ft)r an institution is never stronger 
than when in the mi-dst of present difficulties and threatened dan^ 
gers, its friends rally as one man to pledge anew uiidying devotion 
to their Alma Mater, Remembering this, let us from the high 
position of present advantage, survey the future, so full of difficul- 
ties and yet so full of highest possibilities — yea, of brightest prom- 
ise, and resolve that what may be done, shall be done. If, with 
what has already been accomplished and the proud reputation 
already won, Roanoke does not march on to the fulfillment of her 
high destiny, it will be because her legal guardians and instructors 
fail in interest and affection, or because her sons, hitherto so enthu- 
siastic in their devotion, shall prove recreant to the trust, which, 
year by year, is being more fully committed to their charge. We 
look to every man to do his duty. With the hearty co-operation 
of trustees, faculty, and students, and the encouragement of friends 
at home and abroad, we may look forward with undiminished 
•confidence to the ultimate success of our Alma Mater. With a 
past so full of encouragement, so rich in precious legacies of con- 
secrated zeal ; a present so full of gratifying results and so bright 
with hope ; let us march on to the land of promise to take posses- 
sion of our future inheritance." 



SEMI-CENTENKIAL BUILDIKG FUND. 

At the Coramencoment in June, 1902, the Alumni Association 
'Inaugurated a movement to erect a Science Hall, in commemora- 
tion of the Semi-Centennial of the College. Later a plan was 
adopted for the enlargement of the main building by erecting a 
third story for the scientific department for connecting the east 
and west halls with the main building and for remodeling these 
three old buildings. The accompanying cut, made from the archi- 
tect's drawing, gives a good idea of the exterior of the improve^ 
ments planned. The interiors of the buildings are also to be re- 
modeled and gi-eatly improved. 

Committees of the Alumni Association and of the General 
Association have co-operated in this effort, and the work on the 
main building will be completed in the fall of 1903. The Central 
Committee, appointed to raise funds, is as follows : Dr. Julius 



^OB nOAKOKE COLLEGE 



Dreher, Chairman; Robert W. Kime, Frank H. Chalmers^. JameE^ 
P. Woods, Jobn T. Crabtreey C. B. Cannaday-, and J. S* Baer. 

In response to the appeals sent out by this Committee, a con- 
siderable number of subscription-s have been received, and the list 
is here published in ord^r to place on record this evidence of the- 
interest af the graduates and. ex-students in the welfare of the. 
College. 

EIST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS,. 

K Virginia Grraduate (who withholds his name), |1,000 

James' Ell wood Jones ('8'5-8&), Switchback, W. Vs'., 1,000 

Thomas H. Cooper {'84-88), Cooper, W. Va., 1,000 = 

Wm. Geoi-ge Freeman ('85-88), Fi-eeraan, W. Va., 1,000 

John Thomas Lupton (class of '82), Chattanoogay Tenn., 1,000 
Ernest C. Klipstein ('68-69)j New York City, 500- 

Dr. Julius D: Dreher (class of '71), Salem, Va., 500 

Dr. John Alfred Morehead (class of '89), Salem, Va;, 200- 

Prof. W. F. Morehead (class of '84), Salem, Va., 200^ 

Prof. W. A. Smith (class of '85), <^ '^ 20a 

Prof. L. A. Fox, D. D. (class of '68),. " " . 100- 

Rev. F. N. V. Painter, DD (class of '74), '' « lOa^ 

Asst. Prof. C. B. Cannaday (class of '^2), "• *' 100 

F. H. Chalmers (class of '73), " '< 100 

Dr. A. A. Cannaday ('82-83), Roanake, Va., lOa- 

Rev. S. A. Repass, D.D: (class of '&6), AUentown, Pa., 100- 
Rev. C. A. Marks (class of '74), Richmond, Va., 100' 

Wm. C. Dreher (class of '78), Berlin-, Germany, Ica 

Rev. C. Armand Miller (class of '87), New YoTk City, 100- 
Watts B. Dillard ('77-82), Salem, Va.,. 100- 

Ivan V. Yonee ('84-87),- Salem^, Va., 100 

R. W. Kime (class of '89),. Salem-, Va.,. 100- 

J". P. Woods (class of '92), Roanoke, Va., 100^ 

President J. IL Turner (class of '67),. Lutherville, Md..,. 100- 
Rev. Wm. R. Brown (class of '83), Corinth, Va., 100 

William C. Graichen ('72-77), Winchester. Va., loa 

Rev. R. C. Holland, D. D. (class of '60), Charlotte, N. C, 50' 
Rev, Edward H. Ward, D.D. (class of '70), Pittsburg, Pa., 50' 
Col. Geo. C. Cabell, Jr. (class of '88), Danville, Va.,. 50 

Dr. R. Minor Wiley (class of '92), Salem, Va., 5a 

Mayor W. T. ^Younger ('71-72), Salem, Va., 50- 

E. S. Dreher (class of '88), Columbia, S. C.y 50 

Dr. J. P. Killian ('67-69), Salem, Va.^ 50 

John W. Williams ('86-87), Pearisburg, Va., 50 

Dr. Edgar A. P. Cole ('87-88),' Hot Springs, Va.,, 50 

Rev. J. I. Miller, D.D. (class of '59), Summit, New Jersey, 5a 
Dr. William P. Reese ('65-66), Taylor's Store, Va., 5a 

Rev. Edward E. Sibole, \y.V>. (class of '71), Philadelphia, 50 




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'SmiZ-CENJ'EN^IAX ^11 



^ev. L. A. MaDn, D.D. (class of '60), Cumberland, Md., 50 

"President C. B. King (class of 83), Cbarlotrte, N.'C, 50 

•S. S. Cassell {class of '90), Corintb, Va., 50 

JElev. C. W. Cassell (class of '93), Orabam, Ya.-, 40 

fRev. Paul Seig (class of '87), 'Wytbeville, Va., 40 

.A. E. Peery (class of '82), Burke's t^arden, Va., 30 
Rev. Tbornton'Wbaling, D.D (class of '79), Lexing^ton, Ya., 25 
Rev. P. H. Miller, D.D. (class of '73), Westminster, Md., 25 

'George D. Brown (class of '86), Corintb, Ya., 25 

Floyd B. Brown (class of '76), Enocbviile^ N. €., 25 

H. *S. Bales (class of '99), Rural Retreat, Ya., 2'5 

Rev. W. P. Huddle (class of '82), Madison C. H., Ya., 25 

Rev. S. C. Ballentine (class of '91), Wbite Rock, S. C, 25 

F. B. Kegley (class of '00), Salem, Ya., 25 
W. Lee Powell ('90-91), Kewport News, Ya., 25 
W. G. Rbyce ('96-98), Mt. Holly-, K. €., 25 
J. E. B. Smith (class of '99), Blacksburg, Ya.-, 25 
-James S. Persing«r ('79-80), Salem, Ya., 25 
Orran D. Oakey ('79-&3), Salem, Ya., 25 
Rev. J. W. Smitb (class of '83), Epbrata, Pa., 25 
Rev. J. Wm. McGa^uley (class of '99), Cumberland, Md., 25 
Floyd Keeler (class of '01), General Tbeo, Sem., X. Y., 25 
Rev. F. L. Robinson ('98-99), Earlysville, Ya., 25 
Paul'S. Davis ('66-'67), Salem, Ya.* ^5 
R. E. Bord-en (class of '80), Capon Road, Ya., 25 
W. M. Cunningham (class of '02), Lisbon, Ohio, 25 
Dr. P. H. Killey ('62-64), Yivian, W. Ya., ^5 
John L. Logan (class of '87), Norfolk, Ya. , 2^ 
W. M. Murrell (class of '74), Lynchburg, Ya., 25 
Rev. J. B. Unaberger (class of '84), Osnaburg, O., 25 
C C. Minor (class of '75), Bristol, Tenu., 25 
O. S. Bowman (class of '94), Salem, Ya., 25 
O. C. Rucker (class of '81), Bedfoi-d City, Ya., 25 
Rev. E, A. Repass (ctass of '97), Staunton*, Ya-,, -25 
J. P. Palmer (class of '02), Greenville, Ya., 25 
Lloyd Marcus ('«7-9l), Salem, Ya., 25 
R. M. Lawson ('58-61), Burke's Garden, Ya.^ 20 
H. S. Moss (class of '96), Burke's Garden, Ya., 20 
Henry A. Rhyne ('96-98), Mt. Holly, N. C, 20 
Frank H. Ferguson ('85-86), Savannah, Ga., 20 
R«v. Dr. J. B. Greiner (class of '61), Rural Retreat, Ya., 20 
Prof. W. M. Graybill ('71-78), Roanoke, Ya., 20 

G. B. Morebead (class of '92), Wytbeville, Ya., 20 
R-. E. Cook (class of '94), Roanoke, Ya., 15 
Rev. J. A. Huffard (class of '84), Luray, Ya., 15 
M. J. and G. S. Landon ('91-94), Pocahontas, Ya., 15 
Rev. John Luther Frantz (class of '92), Washington, D. C, 15 



212 ROANOKE COLLEGE 

John David Rodeffer, Ph. D. (class of '95), Baltimore, Md., 15 

Rev. M. G. G. Scherer (class of '81), Charleston, S. C, 12 60 

Rev. R. J. D'ogan ('84-86),. Roanoke, Ya.,. 12 

Fercv L. Banks ('91-9^), Norfolk, Va., 10 

Rev.' J. O. Glenn (class of '9a), Donegal, Pa., 10 
Rev. Wm. A. R. Goodwin (class of '99), Williamsburg, Va., 10 

Rev. A. D. R. Rancher (class of '89), Staun-ton, Va. , 10' 

J. W. Moss ('98-00), Tazewell, Va., 10 

S. C. Peery ('76-77), Tazewell, Va., 10 

Rev. J. W. Strickler (class of '78), Stephens City, Va., 10 

Rev. E. A. Shenk (class of '92), Newport News, Va., 10 

V. C. Tompkins ('80-86), Raleigh, N. C, 10 

J. C. Bailey, ('77-78), Tazewell, Va., 10 

Charles W. Greenwood (class of '88), Little Roek, Ark., 10 

Dr. P. B. Stickley (class of '9-1), Stephens City, Va., 10 

H. S. Crabill (class of '00), Toms Brook, Va., 10- 

Rev. C. L. Brown (class of '95), Kan>amoto, Japan, 10 

H. J,. Mclntire, ('94-96), Pullman, Wash., 10 
Rev. Ruf us Ben4:on Peery, Ph. J>. (class of '90), Saga, Japan, 10- 
Subscriptions ift smaller amounts aggregating $272.50 

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. 

The Alumni Association of Roanoke College met in the 
chapel on the afternoon of June 10th, the attendance being unus- 
ually large. The following officers were elected : 

President — Rev. J. I. Miller, D. D. (class of '59), Summit, 
New Jersey. 

Vice-Presidents — Rev. Alexander Phillippi, I>. D., (class of 
'^57), Wytheville, Va. ; John T. Lupton (class of '82), Chatta- 
nooga, Tenn. ; J. E, Cooper (class of '73), Winchester, Va. ; Rev. 
L. A. Mann, D. D. (class of '60), Cumberland, Md. ; Isaac S. 
Motter (class of '72), Lima, Ohio *, Judge J. W.. G. Blackstone 
(class of '75), Accomac, Va. ; S. J. Homer (class of '93^), Caddo, 
Indian Teri'itory. 

Secretary — ^Prof. W. A. Smith (class of '85), Raanoke Col- 
lege. 

Treasurer — F. H. Chalmers (class of '73), Salem, Va. 

Executive Committee — Dr. L. A. Fox, Chairman ; F. H. 
Chalmers, R. W. Kime, Dr. R. Minor Wiley, F. B. Kegley. 

The following committee was appointed to prepare an expres- 
s-ion of the sentiments of the Association with i-egard to President 
Dreher's resignation : Dr. J. I. Miller, President J. H. Turner, 
and Rev. Paul Seig. 

By a rising vote the Associatio-n unanimously pledged its 
eupport to President-elect Morehead. 

The selection of speakers for next Commencement was left to 
the Executive Committee. 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL 213 

GENERAL ASSOCIATION. 



On the afternoon of June 9th the General Association of 
Koauokf College Students met in the chapel. Officers for the next 
triennum were elee»tftd as follows : 

President — President J. H. Turner, D. D., Lutherville, Md. 

Vice-Presidents — Hon. George W. Koiner, Richmond, Va. ; 
Donelson Caffery, Jr., Franklin, La. ; Rev. J. I. Miller, D. D., 
Summit, N. J. ; Judge F. S. Tavenner, Woodstock, Va. ; Thos. 
H. Cooper, Cooper's. W. Va. ; J. T. Parks, Orangeburg, S. C. 

Honorary Vice-Presidents — O. C. Rucker, Virginia ; Branch 
K. Miller, Louisiana ; Dr. Robert C. Craig, Pennsylvania ; A. D. 
Sayre, Alabama ; Prof. Thos. C. Bittle, Ph. D., D. D., Texas; 
M. L. Keedy, Maryland ; N. B. Ainsworth, Indian Territory ; 
Hon. Henry S. Trout, Virginia ; W. A. Turk, District of Col- 
umbia ; Rev. C. W. Kegley, North Carolina ; Prof. F. B. Trotter, 
W est Virginia ; Capt. W. L. Armstrong, Tennessee ; Rev. J. B. 
Umberger, Ohio. 

Secretary — Prof. W. M. Graybill, Roanoke, Va. 

Treasurer — F. H. Chalmers, Salem, Va. 

Executive Committee — R. W. Kime, Chairman ; Dr. F. V, 
N. Painter, J. T. Crabtree, J. P. Weeds, J. P. Houtz, Dr. J. P. 
Killian, Watts B. Dillard, George W\ Zirkle, Charles D. Denit, 
and Ivan V. Yonce. 

The Association resolved to continue the custom of holding 
triennial reunions at the College. The next reunion will be held 
at Commencement in 1906. 

Dr. Julius D. Dreher,. Chairman of the Central Committee, 
spoke of the importance of carrying out the plans for enlarging, 
connecting, and remodeling the buildings as early as possible. 



GRADUATES AND EX-STUD ENTS PRESENT. 

[not including those EESIDING IN SALEM.] 

Among the graduates and ex-students who were present at 
Commencement were the following : Dr. Robert C. Craig (class 
of '94), of the Marine Hospital Service, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Prof. J. 
H. Turner, D. D. (class of '67), President of Maryland College. 
Lutherville, Md.; Hon. J. P. Woods (class of '92), Roanoke, Va. ; 
Rev. Robt. C. Holland, D. D. (class of '60), Charlotte, N. C; 
Rev. J. I. Miller, D. D. (class of '59), Summit, N. J.; O. C. 
Rucker (class of '81), Bedford City, Va. ; Hon. Donelson Caffery, 
Jr. ('83-84), Franklin, La.; Rev. A. Phillippi, D. D. (class of '57), 
Wytheville, Va. ; Dr. D. G. Barnitz (class of '90), Christiansburg, 



214 ROANOKE COLLEGE 



Va.; Rev. J. C. N. Park (class of '85), Beaver Falls, Pa.; S. S. 
Cassell (class of '90), Corinth, Va. ; Prof. B. E. Copenhaver (class 
of '93), of Marion College, Marion, Va.; Rev. J. W. Strickler 
(class of '78), Stephen's City, Va. ; Prof. J. C. Martin (class of 
'98), Principal of Maywood Academy, May wood, Va. ; J. Edwin 
Cooper (class of '73), Winchester, Va. ; Dr. W. F. Ferguson 
(class of '94), Marytown, W. Va.; Geo. D. Brown (class of '86), 
Corinth, Va. ; Rev. J. B. Umberger (class- of '84), Osnaburg, O.; 
Rev. C. Armand Miller (class of '87), New York City ; Rev. Paul 
Sieg (class of '87), Wythevilie, Va.; J. C. Morehead'(class of '98), 
Princeton University, N. J. ; Prof. C. E. Anderson (class of '89), 
Moss Point, Miss.; J. C. Peery (class of '00), Graham, Va. ; Rev. 
A. D. R. Hancher (class of '89), Staunton, Va. ; C. A. Ritchie 
(class of '01), Winston, N. C; L. B. Spracher (class of '01), Gra- 
ham, Va.; W. P. Wachter (class of '02), Wythevilie, Va. ; Dr. E. 
R. Williams (class of '99), Hayfield, Va. ; J. B. Sharitz (class of 
'92), Rural Retreat, Va ; R. C. Patterson (class of '00), Wythe- 
vilie, Va.; Rev C. W. Kegley (class of '98), Wilmington, N. C; 
W. M. Cunningham (class of '02), Princeton University, N. J.; 
Rev. J. W. McCauley (class of '99), Cumberland, Md.; Floyd 
Keeler (class of '01), General Theological Seminary, New York; 
Rev. K. Y. Umberger (class of '99), Vytheville, Va.; H. W. A. 
Hanson (class of '01), Gettysburg Seminary, Pa.; J. T. Norman 
(class of '85), Stevensburg, Va.;^R. E. Cline ('01-02), Concord, N. 
C. ; D. V. Lemon (class of '01), Fincastle, Va. ; H. S. Bales (class 
of '99), Rural Retreat, Va. ; Rev. E. A. Repass (class of '97), 
Staunton, Va. ; Rev. F. M. Richardson (class of '01), Cowardin, 
Va.; Walter St. Clair (class of '99), Gogginsville, Va.; R. E. 
Cook (class of '94), Roanoke, Va. ; Rev. .1. B. Greiner, D. D. 
(class oi '61). Rural Retreat, Va. ; J. L. Fisher (class of '99), 
Rockwell, N. C; D. A. L. Worrell (class of '83), HiUsville, Va.; 
J. T. Parks ('84-85), Orangeburg, S. C; Prof. H. P. Steraple 
(class of '98), Mechanicsburg, Pa.; Thos. E. Kizer (class of '55), 
Richmond, Va.; Prof. E. S. Dreher (class of '87), superintendent 
City Schools, Columbia, S. C; Prof. Jas. Frantz (class of '98), 
Botetourt Normal College, Daleville, Va. ; C. R. Goodman (class 
of '02), Amity, N. C. ; Geo. H. Chumbly, Church wood, Va.; J. 
E. B. Smith (class of '99), Blacksburg, Va.; O. M. Fogle (class of 
'02), Point of Rocks, Md.; A. G. Williams (class of '02), Roa- 
noke, Va. ; J. ^W. Watterson (class of '98), Lafayette, Va. ; J. C. 
Akard (class of '99), Blountville, Tenii.; C. S. Hileman (class of 
'95), Timber Ridge, Va. ; Rev. L. A. Mann, D. D. (class of '60), 
Cumberland, Md. ; H. S. Crabill (class of '00), Tom's Brook, Va.; 
C. H. Wilson (class of '01), Bridgewater, Va. ; J. P. Palmer (class 
of '02), Blacksburg, Va. ; Rev. J. L. Rosser (class of '97), Louis- 
ville, Ky. ; Rev. Thornton Whaling, D. D. (class of '79), Lexing- 
ton, Va. ; Rev. T. J. Shipman (class of '81), Roanoke, Va.; R. S. 



SM311- CENTENNIAL 2 1 5 



Graves ('77-79), Syria, Va. ;Prof. W, U. Graybill ('71-73), Roa- 
noke, Va.; Capt. J. C. Grissoni ('57-60), Blacksburg, Va. ; Geo. 
R. Calvert ('95-96), New Market, Va.; J. T. Dunn (^00-01), Bland, 
Va.; A. B. Wilson ('85-86), Rural Retreat, Va.; W. A. T. New- 
berry ('86-88), Bland, Va.; G. R. Umberger ('00-01), Rural Re- 
treat, Va.; G. L. Neel ('97-98), and L. R. Neel ('00-01), Gap Mills, 
W. Va.; 0. R. Fisher ('94-95), Wytheville, Va.; Dr. P. H. Kil- 
ley ('62-65), Vivian, W. Va. ; G. A. Willis ('74-76), Willis, Va. ; 
Jas. A. Bear ('97-00), Roanoke, Va. ; J. W\ Yeakley ('00-01), 
Winchester, Va.; B. McDanald ('98-00), Warm Springs, Va.; C. 
C. Brown ('00-01), Churchwood, Va.; J. R. Pharr ('95-98), Uni- 
versity College of Medicine, Richmond, Va. ; W. F. Williamson 
('97-00), Alexandria, Va. ; Thomas H. Cooper ('84-88), Coopers, 
W. Va.;Dr. W. P. Reese, Taylor's Store, Va.; Dr. Bittle C. 
Keister ('77-78), Roanoke, Va. 



Semi-Centennial Celebration 



MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE 
OF ARRANGEMENTS 



Robert W. Kime 
Chairma^i 

Charles Benton Cannaday 
Secretary 

Frank H. Chalmers 

Treasurer 



Of the Trustees 

Dk. Julius D. Dreher 
Robert W. Kime 
William H. Ruthrauff 
Judge W. W. Moffett 



Of the Faculty 

Dr. Julius D. Dreher 
Prof. W. F. Morehead 
Prof. C. B. Cannaday 
Prof. J. N. Ambler 



Of the General Association Of the Alumni Association 



Prof. W. A. Smith 
Prof. L. A. Fox, D, D. 
Frank H. Chalmers 
Robert W. Kime 
Dr. R. Minor Wiley 



Robert W. Ktm-^ 

Prof. F. V. X. Painter, 0. D. 

Prof. L. A. Foy, D. D. 

Dr. J. P. KiLLIAN 
J. P. HOUTZ 

T. J. Shickel 
J. S. Baer 



8EM1-- OENTBNKI'AZ 



2^ 



COMMITTEES 



On EnteiHainment 



On Reception 



Frank H. Chalmers 

Chairman 

Prof. C. B. Caxxaday 

Mayor W. T. Younger 

R. C. Stearxes 

Robert Logan 

J. E. AlLBM03TG 

John T. Crabtree 



Coi.. A. M. Bowman 

CJiairmari 
Prof. PI. T. Hildretu 
Robert Logax 
Prof. L. McReyxolds 
F. B. Kegley 



O71 Finance 

JuT>GE W. W. Moffett, Chairman 
Charles D. Denit 
M. G. McClung 

Prof. J. N. Amblet. had charge of the work of decoration. 
Prof. W. A. Smith acted as Chief Marshal. 



Through the kindness of the owners of the Tabernacle, that 
spacious auditorium was used for the public exercises of the Semi- 
centennial Celebration and Commencement. 



OCT 19 12:.. 



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